


If Only (Maradauers Era)

by Schemingloki



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-10-02 08:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schemingloki/pseuds/Schemingloki
Summary: Aria Halliday, Selene Fawley and Natalia Wintre are met with an unexpected surprise entering their fifth year at Hogwarts. Clarke Rosier transfers to their school, after suspicious circumstances prevent her from continuing study at Beauxbatons, she is eager for a new start. But when her past continues to chase her, perhaps it's time to stop working solo. Something sinister is happening, beyond the dark forces gathering in the wizarding world and someone needs to stop them. The only problem is, who can you trust when you're trapped in a web of lies?





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue  
Clarke  
Clarke Rosier had never felt more alienated than when she stepped onto the scarlet train headed to Hogwarts for the first time. It was very different to Beauxbatons, everything there was polished and formal. Hogwarts felt free. She stood captivated, staring around the train at the bustling students, gossiping as they funnelled off in each direction. It was the dream she’d had since she was seven years old. Freedom. There it was, right in front of her eyes and all she could do was stare.  
Jules, her younger sister, was not waiting around. She tugged the sleeve of Clarke’s red jacket and launched them both forward at full speed. Clarke blinked frantically as she was tugged though the first carriage. Jules was scanning everywhere frantically, a grin spread across her face.  
“Look at it.” She whispered, her eyes opened in awe. Clarke offered her a smile in return. It was something neither of them had ever experienced, their parents both being well bred purebloods who wanted ‘only the best for their children’. Clarke was pretty sure that the ‘best’ was actually just controlling their every move and indoctrinating them into their pureblood mania. But even the though of telling her parents that set her on edge. Jules was easily caught in their trap, and Clarke found it hard to agree with her sisters morals, but she loved her all the same.  
The whole experience now seemed pretty intimidating. Clarke had never got on with the other students at Beauxbatons. On the whole, she had found them annoying, but she had been easily able to live with four years of solitude. She could not deny however, that she was sincerely hoping that Hogwarts would be different. This is your new start, don’t mess it up.  
“Do you want to look for people in your year, or should we get a compartment together?” Clarke asked her sister, Jules’ face contorted, and Clarke realised her predicament. “I’ll be fine.” She added, looking at her sister imploringly, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  
“Okay.” Jules said, already turning. “I’ll see you at the sorting.” Clarke let out a small laugh and her eye followed her sister as she headed hurriedly along the train.  
Clarke looked at her surroundings again, the bustle had died down now, and the train set off. One or two students passed her as she lent back against the door. The wood framed compartments had glass doors, so Clarke knew that the other students could see her standing there. It didn’t really bother her, she would have to be incredibly unlucky to be spotted by potential friends standing alone in a train carriage. It all seemed at lot. She was excited of course, but the thought of pulling open a carriage door and asking to sit their terrified her. Everything terrified her nowadays, growing up how she did, hiding it was second nature.  
“You want to come in?” Clarke jumped, the voice from behind her and the creak off the sliding compartment door awakening her from her thoughts. “You look lonely out there.”  
Clarke turned, and was faced with the owner of the voice. She was fairly tall, and had striking dark green eyes that seemed to draw you to her. She was already dressed in school robes, the Slytherin emblem shinning on them. Clarke smiled back at her, she suspected she was become a Slytherin when she was sorted, based on her research of the houses.  
“I guess.” Clarke replied clumsily, stepping forwards. “I don’t really know anyone here.”  
The girl laughed. “You’re new?”  
Clarke nodded.  
“Ah, that’s fine. We were all new once. I’m Holly Fawley, pleased to meet you.” The girl, Holly, offered Clarke her hand as she stepped back into the compartment. Clarke shook it and followed her inside. Seated inside were three others, a girl and two boys.  
“I’m Clarke Rosier, it’s nice to meet you all.” She nodded in return, taking the seat she was being gestured to by Holly.  
“This is Regulus Black, Carter Goldstein and Morgan McLain. “ Holly looked over at her friends. The first boy, Regulus, was tall with dark hair and dark eyes. He looked distant, almost like he was fighting an inner battle. He was also readily changed into his robes. Morgan looked more like how Clarke had imagined a Slytherin, her eyes were narrowed and sceptical, yet curious and mischievous at the same time. She had dark auburn hair that fell just beyond her shoulders. Carter, the final boy, looked tired as his stormy grey eyes surveyed her. He sighed and looked away.  
“Welcome to our amazing school.” He said, rolling his eyes, still facing out the window. Clarke raised a brow at him and Morgan snorted.  
“Ignore him, he’s bitter because he doesn’t like new people.” She laughed, Clarke felt as if the other girl could sense her discomfort. “You have an idea what house you will be in yet?”  
“Slytherin.” Clarke answered almost automatically. “All my family have been, and it fits me best.” It was the first question everyone asked her upon learning she was going to Hogwarts.  
“All your family?” Regulus frowned in her direction. “How come you didn’t come to Hogwarts straight off?”  
“My parents moved to France when I was nine, Beauxbatons was closer. The Rosier’s are a French family after all.” Clarke knew that all too well, she’d only been told a hundred times.  
“What happened then? Something go wrong in France?” He asked.  
“Did you get kicked out?” Holly questioned with sudden interest, leaning forwards in her seat. Clarke just snorted.  
“You wish.” She replied, “Truth is my sister got kicked out, and my parents didn’t want to send us to different schools. We’ve moved back to the UK now too.”  
“At least someone got kicked out.” Holly said, a smile tugging at her cheeks, but she quickly caught herself. “Not that it’s good for your sister or anything.”  
“Oh no. I’m pretty sure she was trying to get kicked out, she hated it as much as I did there. It was too, I don’t know, formal for us. Besides, Jules isn’t the conforming type, it was bound to happen eventually.” The lie came all to easy.  
“Is Beauxbatons really that bad?” Morgan retorted disbelievingly.  
“Oh yeah. It’s easy to take that tone, but you try attending for four years and see how you feel about it.” Less of a lie.  
“Fair enough.” Morgan shrugged, but her eyes glinted. Clarke wondered if they ever lost their shine. Her eyes scanned the group around her. Actual people talking to her outside of her family without disdain. Perhaps Hogwarts was a new start.

Selene  
The train was well along the way to Hogwarts by the time Selene Fawley was finally allowed to renter the compartment which her friends were sat in. Stupid prefect duties she scowled to herself as she pushed the door open. Robin Selwyn, the other Ravenclaw prefect, on her heels. She couldn’t confess to be fond of him. He had always irritated her, and he was certainly a poor choice for prefect, but he was a part of her friendship group and so she had to abide by him. She wasn’t sure any of them really liked him, but they had taken pity on him and looked after him. Selene just didn’t share their morals, she would have gladly left him to the mercy of the marauders.  
“Selene!” Indiana Johnson, Selene’s best friend, cried as she entered. “I’ve missed you!”  
“I’ve missed you too.” Selene cried in return, as she slid into he seat next to her. She felt like a robot saying it to everyone she met. It was tedious. Most of the time it was a lie. She hadn’t really missed anyone apart from Di (as Indiana preferred to be called) in the holidays. She’d missed school, and the magic, but not the people. Most of the time she found them more hindering that useful. Besides, she had a good relationship with her parents, which was more than a lot of purebloods could speak for, so she was grateful for the time she spent with them. School peers were generally annoying. If she had to have one more conversation with Maya Flint or Rory Lestrange, she would surely lose her mind.  
“Hey Selene.” Jamie Avery called from opposite her, she gave him a nod in response. Riley Kirke and Esther Everhart also sat in their carriage. It was a struggle for them all to fit in, and Selene felt uncomfortably claustrophobic. Selene was more than glad that the cringy and unnecessary ‘ how was your holidays’ talk was out of the way. She always felt awkward answering everyone questions when really, she had nothing interesting to say. Prefect duties might not have been the most interesting, but they were an improvement on that.  
There wasn’t much of the train journey left, and Selene was quite happy to spend in listening to Di, Riley and Jamie’s enthusiastic debate on who would win the next quidditch cup. Selene was a quidditch player, but had never really felt interested in watching team matches. The odd school game was an exception. She had decided long ago that she supported England and no other team. Di was an avid supporter of the Holyhead Harpies Selene knew all too well, whereas Riley and Jamie were Chuddly canons supporters.  
The three of them were still arguing as they began to disembark the train. Selene grabbed the stiff compartment door and pushed it open, looking apologetically at the first year who she had narrowly avoided hitting in the face.  
It didn’t seem to take long for the group of them to reach the carriages. The quidditch debate had died down by then, and they had moved on to the subject of OWLs. They were in their fifth year now, their OWL year. Selene wasn’t overly concerned, yet. She mostly got good grades and did well in her lessons.  
Their group began to clamber into the rickety carriages, just waiting for Di to pet the thestrals as she always did. She had a liking for magical beasts and as one of the few students who could see the thestrals, she felt like she had an obligation to at least say hello to them. That had actually been how her and Selene had met, in second year. Both fascinated by the horses pulling the carriages that no one else could see.  
They were well on their way to Hogwarts in no time however, Not having to share a carriage with anyone.  
“Have you seen the new girl?” Robin said suddenly, making Selene jump. She had been staring into the darkening sky, lost in her mind.  
“New girl?” She questioned, raising a brow. Robin rarely had interesting contributions to the conversation, it was certainly something new.  
“Yeah, I saw her in your sisters compartment as we passed, you weren’t looking.” He replied. Selene scowled, it would be her sister who discovered the new girl.  
“She’s in our year?” Di asked, a look of curiosity spread across her face.  
“Not sure, but she’s definitely new, Goldstein was welcoming her to the school.” Robin shrugged, indifferent. But Selene was interested now. She couldn’t help but enjoy gossip, as much as she hated to admit it, she was a nosy person.  
“Goldstein? Welcoming someone?” Riley said snorting.  
“Oh.” Robin said, looking oddly surprised, as if he hadn’t though of this abnormality. “I guess it was sarcastic.”  
“Well, if she’s hanging out with my sister, she’ll probably be a Slytherin.” Selene scowled, her opinion of the house wasn’t high. She knew that it was rooted in her petty rivalry with Holly, her sister.  
“Don’t be too quick to judge, she’d not that far gone yet!” Riley exclaimed, she hated the house arguably more than Selene. This earned her a kick from Di, who became irate whenever someone hated on the other houses. She was all for inclusion.  
“Ow!” Riley snapped, rubbing her leg. Selene held in her snort.  
“Stop judging her both of you.” Di snapped, “You’ve never met the girl. She could be a Ravenclaw and end up in our dormitory for all you know.” She glared at them both and mumbled something as an afterthought that sounded suspiciously like ‘judgemental idiots’.  
“You’re oddly quiet Jamie, something wrong?” Riley commented, her attention moved to the boy on her right. Selene, who hadn’t noticed, looked over and frowned.  
“Not really.” He said, sounding normal. “it’s just, it doesn’t happen to be Clarke Rosier does it?”  
“Clarke Rosier?” Di repeated. “I’ve heard of the Rosier’s. French family, right?”  
“And friends of mine.” Jamie nodded in response. “Clarke and I used to be friends as children. I don’t really remember it, it was a forced friendship. Then she moved to France, but I heard she’d come back. I figured she’d be starting at Hogwarts.”  
“What does she look like?” Robin said, suddenly interested. He was always trying to impress Jamie, Selene was sure he aspired to be like him.  
“Um, dark brown hair and amber eyes. Dark skin. That’s all I really remember.” He shrugged, “But it’s her sister, Jules, that’s interesting. I heard she got kicked out of Beauxbatons.”  
“What for?” Esther piped up, leaning forwards keenly.  
“No one knows. But it was dark. Hogwarts was the only school she could get enrolled at. They say it was on behalf of her parents, but no one can prove it.” Selene’s mind was already spinning wild with curiosity. Whatever Jules Rosier had done, she was determined to find out.  
Aria  
Aria Halliday, Julian Moon and Layla Addison sat down to the more than excessive start of term feast at the Hufflepuff table. There was not food at the table yet of course, which was annoying, because Aria was furiously hungry. She eyed the staff table warily. She could see Dumbledore as always, prepared to give the school a welcome speech. Not that his speeches were ever that interesting.  
“I can see you scowling Halliday.” Julian snorted, looking at his friend’s contorted face. “We know you don’t like the teachers. And no, no one knows who the new Defence Against the Dark Art’s professor is.”  
“I know you don’t. I’m just curious alright.” Aria snapped in return, still not tearing her eyes away from the table. She was always on edge when she was hungry.  
“Merlin Ari calm down.” Layla soothed, looking at her in alarm. “Anyway, the New DADA teacher is sat at the end of the table. I don’t know who she is though.”  
Aria’s eyes fell instantly onto the woman, she had shoulder length black hair and looked to be in her early thirties. Her eyes were alive and yet piecing, and were somewhat eerily surveying the hall. Flitwick said something to her, and she turned away moments before her eyes would have fallen on their group. Aria couldn’t help but be unnerved. Something about her was off.  
“She’s strange, don’t you think.” Aria mused, looking back at her friends.  
“A little I guess.” Julian said shrugging, his eyes were trained on the disappointingly empty wooden tables in front of them. She would have been annoyed he only cared about the food, but she was furiously hungry herself. It seemed her empathy had kicked in.  
“No, I see it.” Layla nodded, her eyes fixed firmly on the mysterious woman and Flitwick, who were still deep in conversation. “Perhaps she’s—”  
But Aria never found out what Layla though about the new Professor, as at that very moment, the old heavy door the hall burst open, letting in a spiel of frightened first years. They were lead forth by Professor McGonagall, all stumbling to keep up and looking at the ceiling in awe. Aria could see some, yet very few, looking cocky and sure of themselves already. Gryffindors no doubt. She had a severe dislike for the house that the marauders belonged to. While most students where against the Slytherins, she didn’t see the problem.  
In truth, the sorting hat had debated putting her in Slytherin for a good while, but had settled on Hufflepuff in the end. She had never felt like she’d fitted the house exactly, but she would defend it to her grave, and she was proud to be apart of it. It had taken her a while to befriend Julian and Layla. The notion that Hufflepuff were kind seemed exceptionally preposterous to her as well, She had had to be moved from her first dormitory because she couldn’t get on with the other girls there. And she certainly wasn’t nice herself. She supposed the stereotype fitted Julian well enough. It just irked her, when her house was reduced to that, when they were so much more.  
The sound of the sorting hats song woke her from her jumbled thoughts. The nervous first years had now moved the front of hall, and were under surveillance from silent older students. Not that the older students were that intimidating.

 

You may believe I am old and weary  
But I assure that there is more  
Than the surface, battered and dreary  
I ask you to put your trust in me  
To find where you belong  
Be it noble Gryffindor,  
Our brave yet reckless friends  
Or trustworthy Hufflepuff  
Loyal to their ends  
Yet perhaps it is Wise Ravenclaw  
The independent dreamers  
Or tenacious Slytherin  
Those ambitious schemers  
Whichever house becomes you  
I ask of you one thing  
Not let these walls divide you  
See what standing together brings  
For if a plan should be afoot  
You would need the makings  
Of each quarter to douse the cut  
And stop evil from taking  
I caution you, beware  
But now I must advance  
It’s not my job to care  
Step up and take this chance

“Bit dark this year.” Aria wondered aloud, suspicious. The sorting hat had never cautioned before. Never warned of things to come. Expect, it wasn’t really a warning of something more, it was more a warning of friendship. The natural divide that if created in the houses. Aria had to agree, she’d never liked it either. Still, she wasn’t going to be buddying up with Gryffindor’s anytime soon.  
“You think?” Layla muttered in return as the first of the new students wondered up to the stool.  
But Aria’s attention was drawn back to the new teacher. She was positively glaring at the hat. Something was off their and she wanted to know what it was.

Natalia  
“Merlin and Morgana, that song was a bit heavy.” Marlene McKinnon muttered to Natalia Wintre as the sorting hats song came to a close.  
“I know.” She whispered in return, still eying the hat warily. She didn’t like that hat was giving warnings. It had always unnerved her anyhow. She felt that she still hadn’t adjusted to magic all these years later. Her mother had been a witch, but Muggleborn, and her father was a muggle. She wasn’t well adjusted to the world she was a part of yet, even thought she had grown up with the knowledge of it.  
“Shhh, they might be in our house.” Lily Evans hushed angrily from beside them, looking at the shivering first year trying on the hat: Rollins Tyler.  
But it seemed Tyler was not fated to become a Gryffindor. Instead, he skipped happily over to Ravenclaw house, looking pleased with himself. The Ravenclaws erupted in applause.  
“Smith, Lilia.” McGonagall called, a small looking girl with brown hair cropped short ventured warily forwards. She seemed to gain confidence mid walk and strode the rest of the way up to the awaiting stool. Natalia could remember her utter terror at being sorted, she hated attention, and the whole school looking at her was a certain type of hell she had no desire to experience again. She did not envy the first years.  
“Hufflepuff.” The hat cried, the voice emerging from a crease near the rim. The girl ran forwards, seeming confused about weather this was good thing, and found a seat next to Aria Halliday. The older girl smiled at her and shook her hand. Natalia frowned, Aria hadn’t struck her as the welcoming sort, she had sat on Natalia’s table in potions the year previous.  
“Nat.” Lily hissed, nudging her friend with her elbow. “It’s Izzy.”  
Sure enough, Natalia looked up to hear the last of her sisters name being called.  
“Wintre, Isabelle.” Izzy shot her a desperate glance, seemingly relieved Natalia was looking, and stumbled up to the hat. She picked it up by the frayed rim, and placed it tentatively unto her head. It considered for a long minute, and Izzy’s face seemed to become progressively more scared. Nat tensed on her sisters behalf, she had a strangely good relationship with her, and would do anything for her to be happy. She had her fingers crossed under the table.  
“Gryffindor!” It cried eventually, and her face erupted in happiness. She practically skipped up to the table where Natalia was. Natalia was thrilled for her, and clapped along with the rest of her house, mean while offering her sister a welcoming smile.  
“I did it!” She grinned, looking intently into Natalia’s eyes. Natalia laughed and moved along the bench to make room.  
“You did.” She replied as Izzy slid onto the bench, looking around at the students in awe. “Meet my friends. Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon.”  
“Hi.” They called in unison. Izzy let out a giggle and looked at each of them in turn.  
“Is Gryffindor the best house, Lia says it is, but I want to be sure.”  
“How rude!” Natalia called, mock offended, but Izzy ignored her.  
“Of course it is.” Marlene said instantly, flicking her long hair from her face.  
“I mean, all the houses are good, but Gryffindor is the best I suppose.” Lily said after a moment. Nat knew she was referencing to her inter house friendship with Severus Snape. Personally, Natalia loathed him. It seemed to be the one thing her and the Marauders could agree on.  
She hated their group also, make no mistake. She would love nothing more than to hex James Potter into the depths of hell itself, but the opportunity had no arrived yet. He was only their ring leader. They were all as arrogant as hell and irritating bullies. But Snape was worse. Him and his band of death eater wannabes. She’d curse them beyond hell if she could. Anyone who supported the so called dark lord. Her mother being an auror didn’t help her worry. Izzy was fairly innocent and oblivious to the whole thing, and she sincerely hoped Hogwarts wouldn’t change that for her.  
The sorting continued, and another girl Izzy had clearly been speaking too joined her at the Gryffindor table. At once her attention was drawn from Natalia, but she didn’t mind. She would have done the same thing, had her friendship with Lily and Marlene not been established. She wasn’t particularly close to them, when thought about it. They had more friends that she just couldn’t get on with. It left Natalia on the edge a lot, but they did their best to include her. She frequently fell victim to the marauders also, an easy target it seemed.  
Natalia grimaced at the thought. She loved Hogwarts, and magic, but some parts of it were hellish.  
“Who’s that?” Izzy was nudging her elbow. Natalia jumped at the touch and jerk away.  
“Sorry Iz, what is it?” She muttered, recovering herself and rubbing her arm off nervously. Izzy eyed her suspiciously, but continued anyhow.  
“Who’s that older girl with McGonagall now?” She asked, gesturing to a girl about Natalia’s own age. She had glinting dark brown wavy hair and dark olive skin. She was standing beside McGonagall, who had just whispered something to her. Another girl appeared next to her, Natalia couldn’t fathom where she had come from. She looked similar, but her hair was lighter and longer, and she was clearly younger.  
“I don’t know.” Natalia replied, frowning in the direction of the two new girls. The older one began to look around the hall, and Natalia noticed she had striking amber eyes.  
“Why would she be getting sorted, if she’s your age?” Izzy asked, her face filled with innocent curiosity.  
“She must be transferring.” Natalia said, more as a though to herself. It was odd, why would anyone need to transfer. She shook her head and tore her gaze away from the girl. McGonagall read the last name on the list (Bones, Johnathon). He quickly became a Slytherin and the noise that had been filling the cavernous space died away.  
“Now we have two older students to be sorted. They are here from Beauxbatons, I hope you will welcome them to our school.”  
“Jules Rosier.” She called clearly, not reading from any list. A murmur ran though the hall. Rosier was an infamous name for its affiliation with dark magic. Natalia suddenly realised it was likely one of the two had been expelled, or perhaps both. The young one walled forwards and sat.  
The Hat was placed on her head, and she looked up at it, almost suspiciously. Like she didn’t trust it. It did not take long however before the hat called:  
“Slytherin!”  
Jules looked pleased. She smiled and hurried to sit down with the rest of her house.  
“Clarke Rosier.”  
Clarke, the older girl, exchanged a nervous glance with her sister, and headed to the hat. She placed it on top of her head and took a deep breath. Natalia noticed for the first time the new DADA professor, who was staring at Clarke intently. Something seemed wrong. She could almost sense it. The hall all looked normal. But Natalia knew something was wrong. The name Rosier was trouble. Trouble with an agenda, and a purpose. Trouble with a secret that it would take more than a little digging to discover. It seemed somethings were about to change.

 

Heya! I'm the author (clearly). It's great to be writing a fic again. Before I say anything else I just want to clarify that this is only a side project! I have a lot of other writing things going on in my life and this is just an idea I had that will help me develop in writing and have a good time in the fandom too.  
That being said I am really excited to write this and will be updating as often as I can. I hope this will be much better than the previous fics I've done on this site seeing as I'm much more developed as a writer now. The story will have four main characters and the POV's will rotate each chapter. I hope you like it. - Schemingloki (Also I'm really sorry for any grammar mistakes but I really don't have the time to properly proof read every chapter!) (this story is also on quotev fyi)


	2. Not Such a Good Start

a/n - from now on this story will be in first person ;)   
Chapter 1 – Clarke’s PoV  
Nerves seemed to radiate though me as the hat was placed on my head. I knew that I had to be in Slytherin. But this time it was more than my parents influence. I wanted it too. Jules was already there. I supposed it had been clear what house she would be in. Her character is easy enough to judge. Mine on the other hand, maybe it’s just because I’m me, but I find it hard to deduce.  
I flinched despite myself as the hats voice echoed though my head.  
You need to open up.  
What does it mean? I thought bitterly, open up, what kind of stupid test of this.  
I can’t see all your thoughts, they are blurring together.   
“At least you’re not giving me stupid advice.” I muttered to myself. The hat was silent again. For a minute or so now. Tension seemed to build in the hall, yet no murmurs broke out among the students.  
I see you now Clarke Rosier. It made me jump again, but I didn’t flinch this time. You have great ambition no doubt. An unmatched drive too. And loyal, yes without fail, but Hufflepuff would suit you ill. Hmm, brave—in a way. A touch if recklessness, Gryffindor would suit you. Ah but you don’t want that do you. There is no mistaking your intelligence, but that is not where your heart lies either. It must be…  
“SLYTHERIN.” Cried the hat out loud. I sighed in relief, a smile breaking out on my face. I took off the hat and dropped it carelessly back onto the stool as I headed off to the Slytherin table, on the far left.  
“Welcome!” The girl from the train, Holly, grinned as I sat down opposite her and net to Jules.  
“Thank you.” I smiled. “I knew I would be though.” It was a lie, I’d been unsure the whole time, but it felt better if I said it aloud. Maybe I would convince myself it was true. I looked across at Jules and raised an eyebrow.  
“Pleased?”  
“Very.” She said, grinning as widely as I was.  
“Now.” The hall fell silent once again as Professor Dumbledore’s voice called out. “I hope you will welcome our new students to this school. I have nothing more to say. Bon Appetite.”  
I blinked, and a feast was spread in front of me. The empty wooden tables had been adorned with all kinds of marvellous dishes. They weren’t all French either. I grinned even wider, if that was possible, and began to eat. Surrounding me there was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, sausages, bacon, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and a great many more. I piled come chicken and potatoes onto the plate that had also materialised in front of me.  
A blonde haired girl was in deep conversation with Jules next to me. She seemed to be happy, and I was glad. After the commotion of the last school, Jules deserved something easy going here. Sat across from me, next to Holly, was Morgan. On her other side was Carter and next to me was Regulus.  
“You are fifth year, right?” I heard Holly asked, it took me a moment to realise she was directing the question at me.  
“Oh!” I said. “Oh yeah I am.”  
“Same for me, Carter and Mor. Reg is only fourth though.” She replied, swallowing her mouthful.  
“Ah.” I said, not really sure how to reply to that. Conversations were not my strong suit.  
“How do you like the food here?” Morgan asked, clearly noticing that I had already wolfed down a fair amount of the food.  
I blushed. “It’s good, better than in France. Or maybe I’m just sick of French food…” I trailed off, still looking sheepish.  
Morgan only snorted. “Don’t worry, Hogwarts food is great. The house elves here are good. It’s easy enough to get food from them whenever, just tickle the pear on the corridor towards the Hufflepuff common room.  
“Nice.” I smiled politely in return, the truth was, I was thrilled. I bet it took years for people to learn that. I’d never had anyone want to tell me things, interesting things anyway, before.  
“Oh, there’s loads to know about school.” Holly said, reading the expression on my face, "but if you really want to know, its best to ask them.” She jerked her head over at the Gryffindor table. “The marauders, as people call them, they wouldn’t tell you, but they definitely know the most.”  
“Who are they?” I asked, frowning at the Gryffindor table, unsure which group they were. Holly pointed behind her at four boys.  
“James Potter’s the ringleader.” She replied, “then there’s Regulus’ brother, Sirius, Remus Lupin, he’s the nicest, then peter Pettigrew. That’s the tiny one. Not very clever, more trails around after them.” I could see the resemblance between Regulus and his brother now, the dark hair standing out. James potter on the other hand had messy dark brown hair, and round glasses. I couldn’t quite make out the other two from this far, but I could gather Pettigrew was fairly small.  
“How did they become the marauders?” I asked with renewed interesting.  
“I don’t really remember, they’re in our year too, they’ve just always been friends, and suddenly everyone was just calling them that. They’re always getting in trouble. Pulling a prank or terrorising someone else. I personally don’t really like them.”  
I frowned at the four with newfound dislike, I’d always heard bad things about Gryffindor house, perhaps that was one thing my parents were right about. I glanced at the staff table, as the deserts appeared, replacing the main course.  
“Who’s that?” I asked, referencing the woman sat at the end of the table, I couldn’t help but feel I recognised her from somewhere.  
“What her?” Morgan replied, nudging a sleepy looking Carter who had rolled his eyes at the question.  
“Yeah.”  
“That’s the new defence against the dark arts professor, I expect she’ll be introduced soon. No one’s been able to keep the position since a couple of years before we came. Most are decent, but they always have to leave, or choose too. The one in our first year got sacked, can’t remember why.” Morgan explained, now looking at her with interest. I noticed the woman was talking to another male professor. Morgan noticed me.  
“That’s Slughorn, he’s head of Slytherin house and Potion’s teacher.” I nodded in reply. Something definitely felt off about that new teacher. Maybe I was just paranoid.  
It seemed no time at all and the feast had come to an end. The chatter eased up and Dumbledore once again began to speak.  
"Ahem. There’s just a few beginning of term announcements to give.” He began, his eyes twinkling as they looked around the hall. "First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch or the captains of the teams.”  
He paused.  
“I would also like to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Rosewood.” There was a small round of applause. Some people seemed too wary to clap. She certainly looked intimidating. “Well that’s all, good night.” Chatter broke out among the students and Holly jumped to her feet before the rest.  
“What is it?” I asked, also getting up.  
“Oh, nothing. I’m prefect see. I’ve already skived off sitting in the prefect carriage on the way here, so I should probably go and show the first years to the common room. Actually, you need to know too don’t you.” She didn’t wait for a replied before darting off. Exchanged a slightly worried glance with Jules, and we both headed off after her.  
We walked the corridors for several minutes, seeming to be headed lowered and lower down. Jules and I had stayed up front with Holly, the first years trailing behind. Holly stopped before a portrait and smiled.  
“Here we are. Oh what was the password again. Yes that’s right. Hippogriff.” She said clearly, and portrait swung open to reveal a dimly lit common room. The light was tinted green, but the room did look surprisingly inviting. I hadn’t expected much, walking into a room in the dungeons. There was a large fireplace and several colour coordinated sofa’s and armchairs doted around the vast space.  
“What do you think?” Holly asked me, as we let the first years head in.  
“Its beautiful.” I breathed, Jules was grinning next to me. She nodded her head in agreement.  
“I’ll show you were you sleep.” Holly said, slipping past a few first years. I gave Jules a glance and hurried after her. I followed Holly up some winding stairs, and thought a door into a room furnished with five four poster beds.  
“This is our dorm, yours is the one furthest from the window. “ Holly was smiling proudly as she surveyed that room. The space wasn’t huge, but you got a reasonable amount, I had a dresser to store my things. The window, in fact, was just above the water, you could see the rocky edge though the darkness. I suspected that we were one of the highest up Slytherin dorms.  
One the wall opposite the beds, was a large tapestry, that did not seem to be depicting everything. I noticed that my trunk was already beside my bed, I grinned and wondered over to it. It didn’t take me very long to unpack, but by the time I’d finished, the rest of girls had ascended the stairs and entered the dorm too.  
“I’m Maya Flint.” One girl said, holding her hand out to me. I shook it and replied.  
“Clarke Rosier, pleased to meet you.” I turned to the girl on her left. She had a pixie cut and vibrant purple hair. As she stepped up to me half of it turned to pink.  
“You’re a metamorphosis.” I said without thinking, in awe of the girl before me Oh brilliant first impression Clarke, I though to myself bitterly, real good job there.  
“Yes I am.” She said, letting loose a laugh. “Its the first thing most people say, don’t worry.” She added, looking at the horrified look on my face. “I’m Rory Lestrange.”   
“Clarke.” I said a little flustered. “But you probably heard that.”  
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure our families were friends at some point.” She replied, blushing a little. I couldn’t understand why I was so nervous around her. Maybe I just wasn’t used to people being nice to me when I made a fool of myself.  
I shrugged helplessly, I didn’t both to keep track of my family’s friends. In fact, I tried to distance myself from them as much as I could. “I guess. Most pureblood families are right?”  
“You’ll be glad to know most people in Slytherin are half-blood at the very least.” Maya said, rather portentously. I frowned, not sure how much I liked her. I was glad to see Rory looked slightly uncomfortable as Maya said these words.  
“Yeah. I should probably go to bed. You know, first night and all. I need to settle in.” I said, desperate to get out of this conversation.  
“Of course.” Maya said, looking slightly apologetic. “We probably all should, its late anyhow.”  
It took me a while to get to sleep that night. When I did, I was plagued by dreams of Maya and her pureblood ways. I’d hoped to escape that here, not run into it.  
***

When I woke the next day, and descended into the common room, whispers broke out among the Slytherins. It seemed to be a rather popular topic – why the new people had come. Apparently, it was rare for Hogwarts to ger transfer students. A few people had actually dared to ask me why I was here. I’d brushed it of with moving to a different country. I felt it would be bad to tell anymore people it was down to Jules, it was her secret to tell.  
My first lesson, it seemed, was Transfiguration, followed by double charms, divination and finally Defence against the dark arts. My timetable was identical to Holly’s, and she informed me it was relatively decent day, depending on what the new Defence teacher was like. I’d had to choose three extra subjects, like the third years. I chose Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, because I had done those at my previous school. I couldn’t choose Astrology again however, because it was compulsory at Hogwarts, so I had opted for Divination instead. Mainly just to fill the gap. They hadn’t had it as an option at all at my old school, so I was curious to see what it was like.  
“Oh Merlin.” Holly muttered as we entered the transfiguration classroom. “Its just hit me that you choose Divination. Its pointless. I mean I chose it, so I can’t say anything. But Professor Cahill doesn’t teach us anything. I don’t think she knows how the subject works herself.” Holly sighed and pulled me into a seat at the back of classroom. McGonagall cleared her throat and silence fell.   
“I hope you all understand, that this year is very important, arguably the most important year so far in your education. An OWL in transfiguration is difficult to get, and I expect you all to apply yourselves this year. But it is not unreasonable of me to expect you all to get an OWL in this subject. Providing you put the effort in you are all perfectly capable.” She said, her eyes moved across the class as she finished. She gave me a curt nod, but I had no idea what she meant by it, and carried on with the lesson.  
We were doing vanishing spells, which proved to be very difficult. They were supposed to be vanishing mice, but no one could do it. I had tried vanishing spells once before, and it had not gone particularly well.  
After half an hour of class wide failure, the girl on the desk in front of me, Aria Halliday, thrust her wand at the table so violently that she managed to vanish all of it, including her own mouse and the girl sat next to her’s too.  
“Well done Miss Halliday!” McGonagall exclaimed, looking rather shook by this, but also impressed. “Of course vanishing the desk was not your intent, but it was done very well. Twenty points to Hufflepuff.” Holly looked at her disdainfully, but soon managed to vanish her own mouse. I was still struggling at the end of the lesson. We ended up with an essay on vanished objects, I hadn’t quite been listening to grasp quite what it was on.  
Charms was fairly mediocre. The teacher was good, but I was not particularly good at the subject and felt rather bored after two whole hours of it. I sat with Holly in that too. Lunch was over too fast, and I was suddenly trudging all the way up to the north tower with both Holly and Morgan. They both looked extremely glum and I suddenly found myself regretting taking divination.  
It was exactly as they had described. Cahill gave me an awkward welcome in front of the whole class, which I cringed all the way though, then she set us looking at some crystal balls which I was very certain held nothing but mist in their depths.  
“Oh I hope this Rosewood woman’s good.” Morgan muttered as we left via the slivery ladder.  
“Same, and I hope she doesn’t give us any homework.” I exclaimed, irritated by the fact I had already got homework from every lesson.  
“I guess its good bye to sleep this year then.” Morgan added bitterly. I nodded, but in truth I never slept well anyway, so it didn’t seem of great consequence. At least I would have something worthwhile to do with my time now.  
It seemed like a long time before we filled into Rosewoods classroom. She was stood at the front waiting, her expression looking just as sinister as it had at the start of term feast. We filled into the back, this time a sat a desk across from Holly and Morgan.  
“Welcome class.” She said slowly. It was the first time I’d heard her speak, and it unnerved me. her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it I could not quite make out. “Of course you will have heard this from all of your other teachers, but OWL’s are of the upmost importance. Passing the Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL is not extraordinarily difficult, however you will have to work hard. I do understand you have had many different teachers in this subject, but I hope that from now on your education will become more level. I expect nothing but the highest work ethic in my classes, is that understood?” As she continued speaking, I got the impression she was particularly strict. There was a murmur of assent from the class.  
She took the register and lingered on my name a moment longer than she did everyone else’s. I couldn’t help but shake the feeling she was familiar. Her voice, her eyes, it was something. I shuddered, feeling rather irritated.  
“We’ll be starting with stunning spells. I don’t believe you have covered these before, but they will undoubtably crop up on OWL’s.” She said sternly. I’d already done stunning spells, but I was by no means perfect at them. “This means that it will of course be a practical lesson. Partner off and put your books in your bags.” I grinned slightly. Practical lessons were always the best.  
I glanced over to Morgan and Holly. Holly shot me an apologetic look, and gave Morgan a friendly nudge. I couldn’t help but scowl, so much for friends. My eyes searched for another lone student, but they found none. I could see Aria Halliday however, and two of her friend who I did not know the names of, looking torn. Obvious as a three, they could not go together.  
Rosewood had cleared away the desks with her wand. Only the teachers one at the front remained. With the new space, it soon became clear who was with a partner and who was not. Aria and her friends stood in the middle, still looking uncomfortable. I was stuck still, almost too scared to move. I could only hope Rosewood would take charge and pair me with someone. It seemed I was in look. She headed over to me, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she walked, and gestured lazily to Aria.  
“Would you be kind enough to go with that girl over there.” She said, her voice less stern this time. Aria had walked away from her friends now, more confidently and had come to stand next to me.  
“In fact,” She paused, “Miss-“ She broke of clearly not knowing either of our names.  
“Clarke Rosier.” I filled in. I could have sworn I saw a flash of recognition, and fury, cross Rosewoods expression. She narrowed her eyes, barely listening as Aria gave her name.  
“Perhaps- perhaps Miss Rosier and Miss Halliday would be kind enough to give us a demonstration. Don’t worry if you can’t do it first time. Just to get the general idea. Accio cushions.” She nodded, recovering herself. The pile of cushions next to her desk shot over and positioned themselves behind both Aria and I. The whole class was watching now. Their eyes were set on us and they had formed two lines along each classroom wall.  
I bit my lip in annoyance. I really wanted to publicly mess up a stunning spell on my first day. Aria wasn’t portraying any signs of nerves, which just made it worse. I could only hope her confidence was a clever ruse. Rosewood stood between us.  
“Now, if you both utter the incantation, stupefy, and try to stun each other at the same time, we’ll see who gets their first.” I frowned. This seemed to be a very unusual way of teaching, getting the students to curse each other. But Aria had raised her wand. A renewed wave of nerves shot though me. This girl had vanished a whole table just this morning.  
“Stupefy!” I cried in sync with her. I was a moment too late. I never saw if my curse hit her, as hers came at me much faster and with much more force. I don’t even remember it hitting me. Just, all of a sudden, the world was dark.

I was renovated almost instantly. I sat up, panting, with Rosewood’s wand pointed at me and gave in involuntary shudder. I did not like her method of teaching. Aria looked particularly smug. If I had to guess, I would have said Rosewood had offered her praise on the strength of her spell.  
Rosewood said something to the class that I was too dazed to hear, and noise broke out among them again. Aria sauntered comfortably over to where I was standing and offered me a hand. Begrudgingly I took it and heaved myself to my feet, careful not to trip over the cushions.  
“You alright Rosier?” She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at me and I realised I was probably gaping like a fish at her.  
“You caught me by surprise, that’s all.” I muttered, feeling rather embarrassed. She seemed to pick up on this, as she said:  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think I’d actually knock you out.” She replied, a hint of sheepishness on her face.  
“Oh, it doesn’t really matter.” I said, feeling increasingly more uncomfortable.  
“Rematch?” She asked, stepping back.  
“You’re on.” I said, a sudden and unexpected burst of confidence coming to me. I could do this spell surely. I noticed that all the other pairs around the room were doing this too. Another person had been blasted back onto their cushions and I instantly felt better.  
This time, I was more successful. I managed to shoot Aria backwards, even if she was able to climb to her feet right away. Another pair had managed the spell, and the fallen one missed the cushions all together and fell in-between Aria and I. I spotted Aria scowling at the fallen boy with glasses, and couldn’t help but be curious as to why.  
He clambered to his feet, sparing me and apologetic glance, but his kind expression seemed to fade the moment he noticed the Slytherin emblem on my robes. Aria walked past him without so much as acknowledging him.  
“Always so polite Halliday,” he snapped, his friend had walked over to him now. I instantly recognised him from his uncanny resemblance to Regulus. Which meant that the fallen boy was most likely James Potter.  
“You’re the one who missed the cushions Potter.” Aria snapped in reply.  
“I didn’t think you’d stoop so low as to make Slytherin friends Halliday.”  
“Haha.” She sneered. “Very funny. At least I’ve not sunk as low as having Gryffindor friends yet. Now that truly would be horrific.”  
“You really got something against Slytherins huh?” I snapped, after sending Aria a thankful glance. As soon as I spoke, I wished I hadn’t. Standing up for friends was one thing, myself on the other hand. The conflict wasn’t worth it.  
“Its not our fault you all turn out a bunch of death eaters.” I felt my nails dig into my palm as Regulus’ brother snapped the words. What had he been called again? Anger seemed to run though me.  
“I would never.” I hissed uncontrollably. I hadn’t meant to approach the subject of Voldemort or blood status, but I guess it would be hard to avoid. My parents, they were death eaters. They were suspected but they weren’t open about it. It was probably his idea. If they ever knew I’d denied wanting to become one. I shuddered at the thought. They’d set out that path for me a long time ago. I didn’t know how I was going to get out if it. But I was. Regardless, after seeing what they’d do, I could never go down that route.  
The two of them just stared at me. Even Aria was giving me a strange look. I wasn’t really sure how to dig myself out of this hole. I mean, there was no direct way this could get back to my parents, but declaring my allegiances openly seemed foolish. Unfortunately it seemed exceedingly difficult to back track.  
“I don’t approve of such violent methods of anything.” I said more coldly and less defensively. Oh why couldn’t I have just kept my mouth shut.  
“Anyway, I’d stay away from pureblood proud Slytherins like her. The Rosier’s have quite a reputation.” Potter said, shooting me a glower.  
“Not that you can say a lot, being friends with him.” Aria retorted, jerking her head at Black, who was stood next to him. I had a feeling I’d stepped into a rivalry that I wanted to escape as quickly as possible.  
“And what’s that supposed to mean!” Black snarled, rounding on Aria. She stared him down, despite being considerably smaller.  
“It means, your family sucks too and whether or not you’re like them – which is up for debate- you’re an ass. It seems there’s no out running that.” She seemed to hold onto her wand tighter as she said this however, seemingly slightly concerned about how he’d react. To my surprise, Black just look dejected. Potter on the other hand looked ready to kill.  
“Don’t you dare Halliday.” He began, raising his wand. Aria flinched, seemingly despite herself, and reacted on instinct. Her wand shot up with the force of bullet and an unspoken disarming spell hit Potter with a strength unlike I’d ever seen. I thought it was brilliant, and a grin broke out on my face. I did not like these two boys. A part of the marauders gang if I remembered correctly. They deserved what they got. But Aria looked mortified. Rosewood was strolling over, the angry in her eyes evident. It reminded my eerily of the anger I seen in the eyes of my father after Jules was expelled.  
“Halliday.” She hissed sharply. “What do you have to say for yourself! That behaviour is disgusting an unacceptable”  
Aria mumbled something that was impossible to hear.  
“She was provoked.” I said, surprising myself again. Standing up for a girl I’d just met was radically out of character.  
“I asked Miss Halliday, not you.” She replied coldly and turned her head back to Aria.  
“Yeah but she’s not going to answer if you keep towering over her like that. Can’t you see you’re scaring her? All she did was retaliate to Potter trying to curse her.”  
“Miss Rosier, nobody asked for your input.” Rosewood positively snarled at me. Aria’s eyes widened as I allowed myself to glimpse in her direction. She was shaking her head. I wondered why, for someone who was so brash normally, she was so quiet now.  
“Well I don’t remember anyone asking for yours either, but you marched over hear and started asking questions anyway.” I clapped a hand over my mouth as I said it, but the damage was done. The whole class was watching now.  
“Detention Miss Rosier. You too Miss Halliday. Seven o’clock on Wednesday evening. Meet me in my office.” She peered at the clock behind her, and he waspish demeanour disappeared. “Would you look at the time. This lesson has flown. You were all outstanding for the most part-“ She threw a glance at Aria and I “- so keep up the good work. Class dismissed.”  
I was out of there without another word. Getting detention on the first day was not a particularly great start after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for the super long chapter but I couldn't find a good place to end it. I know this is a little boring but I promise it's gets better, I'm just setting the scene. ;) - R


	3. Headache

Chapter 2  
Selene’s PoV  
Breakfast on the second morning of term was a pitiful affair. Jamie and Riley had wolfed down their burning hot sausages, and disappeared. It seemed they had both not finished an essay from the holiday’s. Esther rarely spoke, it just left Di and I to deal with Robin.  
“Oh look!” Di exclaimed, looking down at the prophet that an owl had just dropped on her desk. She’d taken out a subscription. She had cut of Robin talking excitedly about becoming the beater for the Ravenclaw quidditch team. I knew for a fact, being the captain, he was not going to make the team. But seeing as I hadn’t told my friends that yet, I pretended to entertain the idea. I wasn’t really sure why I hadn’t mentioned it. I guessed it was because Jamie had really wanted it, and he was certainly more passionate about it…  
“What’s the headline?” I asked, lazily stabbing a piece of toast with my fork. Di thrusted the paper across the table and I picked it up with interest.  
It read: Eugenia Jenkins forced from office.  
Underneath was an article about the ministers resignation. It seemed she couldn’t deal with the riots you-know-who’s supports. I supposed that was fair enough, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to deal with it.  
“Oh no.” Di said, she looked down at the paper that now lay in her hands again. “It’s the McMillians. One dead and the others are missing.” Robin flinched, I had no idea if he’d known them, or if he just found the news disturbing. It seemed the same as any other day to me. A part of me felt heartless, for not caring but then- I didn’t know these people did I. It was another family every week. It wasn’t anything new. But then, I supposed when you know someone, them dying isn’t exactly nice. I would know… I twitched at the memory and looked away, up at the ceiling of the great hall. It’s depiction of the sky was clear today, unlike the rest of the world.  
“Are you trying out for quidditch this year?” Indie’s question broke me from my trance.  
“Oh… erm… I…” I stuttered. I didn’t want to out right lie. I took a deep breath and blurted. “I’m captain so I’ve got to really.”  
“You’re captain!” Di said, slowly, but then her face broke into a grin. “Oh I’m so happy.” She screeched, “Oh that’s really great news Selene. You should have told us!”  
“I wanted to, I mean I don’t really know why I didn’t.” I muttered, unsure what to say. I did want the captains badge, it was just, something about it. I was almost afraid of Jamie’s reaction. It was like Di could read my face.  
“Don’t worry about Jamie. He won’t be mad, and if he is, he’ll get over it when we slaughter whoever we’re playing first. It’d be impossible to lose which you at the helm,” She soothed.  
“Yeah.” I mumbled, pushing my plate away from me. I wasn’t really hungry anymore. “I’m gonna go to charms, lessons start in five minutes. Coming?” Di nodded and got up to follow me.

*

The lessons that day were on the whole pretty boring. I still hadn’t had DADA, and rumours about Rosewood were running wild all over the school. I’d heard from some she had really awful views on half-breeds. Some students had gone as far as to say she trained you to kill them in every lesson, but I knew that was preposterous. Dumbledore would never had allowed it. Other said she was the best teacher we’d had to date, which in all fairness wouldn’t be difficult. I had her for the first time on Wednesday, the day after today.  
“What’d you thinks true?” I asked Riley on our way to the common room that night, “About Rosewood I mean.”  
“I reckon she’s good to be honest. I heard she put Halliday in detention on the first lesson she taught.” Riley smirked. It was common knowledge that Riley hated Aria Halliday. I’d never really known why, and hadn’t deemed it prudent to ask either.  
“Really? Why?” I asked, shocked. Aria Halliday was the kind of girl to get in trouble, but on the first day? That was pushing it even for her.  
“She cursed Potter. I mean, he had it coming, so it’s really a great all round situation.” Riley said, smirking now. I frowned, I did like Aria, and I was glad she cursed Potter. “And that new girl got one too.”   
“What, Rosier?” I said, my mind drifting back to the girl Jamie had mentioned.  
“Yeah. I’ve heard different versions of how, but I think she had a go a Rosewood.” Riley said, snorting. I failed to see what was so funny.  
“Hmm.” I replied, Rosier intrigued me, despite being in Slytherin. “I guess we’ll just have to see what she’s like. I mean, she can’t be worse than Bulstrode.”  
“God, that was awful, I don’t think I learnt one thing that year.” Riley sighed, our second year teacher truly had been dreadful. We stopped at the door to the common room, and I lifted the knocker.  
“The more you take, the more you leave behind.” It called sharply, “What am I?” I glanced at Riley, I’d heard this before.  
“Footsteps.” She supplied, and I gave her a grateful smile. The door swung open, making me step back to avoid it hitting me. We both hurried inside, and a feeling of dread hit me as I realised that I was going to have to announce I was quidditch captain. I’d never really been one for public speaking. I’d already put a notice on the board, maybe that would be enough. I wondered idly to where my friends were sat, Jamie was lounging in an arm chair and Esther and Di were sat on the floor, leaning back against the wooden coffee table. I slumped on to the sofa adjacent to them, and Riley sunk next to me. We were only missing Robin.  
“Heya Selene.” Di gave a lazy wave. I smiled back was about to ask after Robin when a voice from behind me caused me to jump from my seat.  
“Are you going to put up a notice about quidditch trials?” It was Robin.  
“Err.” I said uncomfortably, but it was too late. Jamie’s interest was piqued.  
“Why would you put up a notice, that’s the captains job. I don’t think it’s been announced yet.” He said, looking at me rather defiantly. I wasn’t really sure what he expected me to do.  
“I am captain Jamie.” I said, my voice coming out colder than I intended.  
“You’re captain?” His face was a picture of shock. He leapt to his feet, pushing off the blue armchair and headed furiously towards the notice board. His eyes searched fanatically for the sign. Eventually he found it. Esther and Di shared a concerned look as he traced his finger along the name at the top.   
He threw his hand to his side in anger, and glared at the paper as if his eyes were deceiving him. Robin, ignoring the commotion, gave me a hopeful look. I shook my head and stood up. Had I expect Jamie to be annoyed? Sure, anyone would be. But I’d also hoped he’d be happy for me.  
“You just have to take everything from me don’t you Selene.” He snapped as he returned to the chair.  
“Shut up Jamie.” Di retorted on my behalf. “There’s no reason you can’t make the team still. Selene didn’t make herself captain. Stop being bitter.” I offered a weak smile, but Jamie just glowered at me.  
“I don’t want to try out for the team, if she’s leading it. You’ll be hopeless. Ravenclaw are doomed.” He snapped. “I’m going to bed.”  
“You do that then.” I called after him angrily, watching as he picked up his back from the foot of the chair and disappeared up the boy’s stairs. “You’re hardly the best beater in the year. I’ll easily replace you.”  
“You don’t mean that.” Riley exclaimed looking at me concerned, and then glancing after Jamie again.  
“Yes I do.” I snapped, and lugged my own back up from the floor. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Trials are at 5:40, if anyone still cares.”  
My hand ran along the stone banister as I stalked up the stairs, anger still radiating though me. As if he had any right! I slammed my shoulder into the door to my dorm, and it creaked open. I lobbed my bag carelessly at my bed, wincing despite myself in anticipation of a bottle smashing. Luckily none came. I slumped down onto the window sill. My dorm was only home to Di, Riley and I. Esther was in the larger one, where most of the fifth year Ravenclaw’s were.  
Honestly, I was grateful to have a small dorm, I’d never liked overcrowding. As I was friends with both Di and Riley, there was rarely conflict as well. In the first year I’d barely spoken to the two of them. I’d been determined that I’d stay friends with Holly. But that hadn’t gone to plan. After that first summer, well finding Di had been a blessing.  
It’d been a blow to my family when Holly was sorted into Slytherin. I mean, they could live with me being a Ravenclaw, next to Gryffindor, that’s the next most respected house in my family, but Slytherin was far too drastic. And after what—well—Holly wasn’t well loved anyway. She’d hated my friendship with Di, hated that I refused to look her in the eye any longer. I guess that’s when the rivalry started, and when I started hating Slytherin. It didn’t help that Maya Flint felt the need to insult Di at every moment. And me come to think of it.  
It was only eight o’clock and I wasn’t tired at all. It had been a bit stupid to storm off now I look back, but honestly who could blame me. I stared out of the dirt coated window, it really need cleaning, and out at the lake. The water lapped at the rocks below my window. I couldn’t hear it, but my eyes followed the shinning waves as the rocked rhythmically. The weather was still. Not rain or battering winds that so often kept those who inhabited the towers awake in the winter. Pure calm. If only I could say the same for all else around me.

*

I didn’t see Jamie much that day. He’d been glaring at me all through Defence Against the Dark Arts. But there was no mention of whether he would try out or not. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted him to. He was an amazing beater, granted, but toxicity like that could really ruin the team. It turned out Rosewood hadn’t been so bad. We’d actually had a good lesson, learning to stun each other. Id master the spell pretty quickly, to my satisfaction.  
I had potions last, we’d been making strengthening solution, and I was determined to get try-outs finished before dinner. It was pretty early in the year to do them, but I wanted them over as soon as possible, so I’d have time to train the team up. I’d heard Ravenclaw were playing first match of the season. I’d moved the time to four thirty, which was a quick turn around seeing as potions ended at 3:45.  
As soon as Slughorn dismissed us, I was off like a shot, I fumbled for my potions books and shoved them into my bag with haste. Swinging it over my shoulder, I rushed from the classroom. It would certainly look bad if the captain was last there. Plus it would only be another thing for Jamie to torment me with if he did show up. I was easily the first one up the dungeon stairs. I was sure I could hear someone shouting behind me, but it easily tuned it out.  
“Oi Fawley!” Oh so the owner of the voice wanted me did they. I scowled and kept walking, whoever they were, they could wait. “Fawley!”  
I kept walking, maybe it was Jamie, though I didn’t sound much like him. It was his style, being degrading by using my last name instead of Selene. But he wasn’t the type of person to send jinx’s flying past me. I watched in horror as a red light streaked past my face. I spun on my heel, having just reached the top of the stairs, anger vibrating though me.  
“Just wait until you catch up why don’t you,” I snarled, but another jinx was already flying. Now I was facing my attacker, I blocked it with ease. I found myself staring into the face of James Potter, who was waving around his potions bock, looking rather foolish.  
“What do you want Potter?” I snapped, I had no patience where he was concerned.  
“You left your potions book, that’s all. I think you have mine.” He said, looking mildly irate. I resisted a laugh, what right did he have to be annoyed.  
“Well thanks.” I said, grudgingly, taking it from him and swinging my own bag from my shoulder. “But did you really have to jinx me to give me that.” He looked sheepish for a fleeting moment, but then shrugged, and took the book I was offering him. I scowled and pulled my bag over my shoulder again, now with my actual book in it.  
“Erm, I have somewhere to be.” He said awkwardly , and pushed past me.  
“Yeah so do I.” I retorted, not sure why I felt the need to reply, and stormed off in the opposite direction, back into the dungeons. Not at all where I wanted to go. But it didn’t feel right to follow him. Hardly right after a standoff. I gritted my teeth, stupid Potter, always getting in the way of everything. He could rival Holly.  
It took me much longer to reach the quidditch pitch than I had at first expected, but I was first there, nevertheless. People started to arrive about five minutes later. As I scanned the crowds, I couldn’t find Jamie among them. A part of me was glad, but another part had wanted him to show up. Apologise. For his stupid sulk to be over. But that was wishful thinking.  
“Alright!” I called to the crowd, where Di was giving me a reassuring look. “if you’re hear to try out for beater then line up on the left, chaser in the middle and keeper on the right. Seekers clear out, we’ve got one of those.” I was quite happy with the turn out, there were around ten possible beaters, fifteen chasers and five keepers. The ten or so people who had turned up for seeker shuffled off the pitch, looking irritated.  
“Okay, chasers first.” I called to the line, I knew Di was among them, though I could not see them. I was sure she was going to get on the team. But I could only hope she performed well, I had no desire to be accused of favouritism.  
I did a few simple exercises with them, and watched from below. Last years keeper, Ella Davidson, had volunteered to man the posts so we could test their scoring ability. I instantly agreed, seeing as I knew she was good. In the end, Di had performed well. She and two other – Daisy Edwards and Jacob Boot – had worked well together and made the team. None of the chasers made particularly violent exits, which I was glad for. When I’d first tried out in second year, the seekers who had been rejected to a second year had thrown nasty tantrums.  
As for the keeper, is was clear Ella was the best choice. The beaters was harder, and I felt especially awkward telling Robin he hadn’t made it, but I felt certain I had a reasonable turn out. The beaters were a surly sixth year, Daniel Burke, and a surprisingly strong but small third year girl by the name of Holland Willow. One beater had thrown his bat down on the floor so hard that grass had sprayed in the face of all those nearby.  
I went back to the common room that night feeling especially pleased with myself.  
“You did well.” Di grinned as we sat down on the sofa, watching Riley and Esther play exploding snap. Jamie was nowhere to be seen. “And thanks for letting me on the team. It wasn’t just because I’m your friend, right?”  
“Of course not!” I replied, slightly irked she thought so lowly of me. “You were the best. Well I mean I suppose Daisy could give you a run for you money.” We both burst out laughing, and a card flew away from the pile after a minor explosion, and hit Di in the face. This only made us laugh harder.  
“What’s the joke?” Jamie questioned, his voice ringing loud and clear behind us as he came into view.  
“Oh nothing.” I muttered. we’d stopped laughing now.  
“Hmm.” He said, looking unconvinced. “Look Selene, I wanted to apologise, it wasn’t fair of me to get mad. You didn’t make yourself captain, Di’s right.” A grin broke out on my face and a feeling of happiness erupted inside of me. Oh he had better stay on good terms, I didn’t need any conflict in my life right now. Not when I had to deal with the team and Holly and all the homework we were getting. “It was stupid of me to boycott trials as well.” My insides did a funny squirm, and my happiness evaporated. I didn’t know what I’d say if he asked to get back on the team. I wasn’t very good at letting people down.  
“Well I forgive you.” I said, cutting him off, my panic taking over. He seemed to realise why I was concerned.  
“Oh no! I wouldn’t ask to get on the team. I get that it’s too late now.” It was clear he was trying to guilt me into it, but I wasn’t so easily fooled. At least I didn’t have to tell him no now.  
“I didn’t think that.” I said, doing a good impression of a horrified face. “But that good that you know.” Neither of us was fooled, but it was better than fighting. Jamie always made things tense. A sudden pain erupted in my head, and I clapped my hand to it before I could stop myself. Di looked over in concern.  
“Selene?” she questioned, I gritted my teeth, but took my hand down.  
“I’m fine.” I murmured, not meeting her eyes. “just tired s’ll. Y’know I think I have a potions essay to do. I’ll just go sit over there.” I didn’t wait for their response. I did have a potions essay to do, but more I wanted to escape them. My head was still throbbing inconveniently. It had been hurting a lot recent. I didn’t want to tell anyone, because people liked to fuss when you were ill, and that’s the last thing I need.  
I sighed and forced myself to dip my quill in my ink and ignore the pain. Ignore all the bustling people around me. I didn’t know why this was happening, but I certainly did want to find out.


	4. Detention

Chapter three.  
Aria’s PoV.  
Trudging up to Rosewood's detention was not high on my list of things I wanted to do. Rather unfortunately, it was very high on the list of things I had to do. I was glad that the new girl, Clarke Rosier would be there too. Honestly, she seemed relatively nice. I supposed she hadn’t known I was Muggleborn at the time, but her views seemed to be accommodating. And she was against the marauders, that meant we had something in common.  
As I turned the final corner, Rosewoods office now insight, Clarke came into view. She brushed her dark curls over her shoulder nervously and gave me a fleeting glance. I offered a week smile in return, and moments later I was stood at her side. My hand was poised to knock at the door, but I couldn’t bring myself to knock.  
“What d’you think she’ll get us to do?” I asked, my hand falling limp to my side. If Clarke was surprised, she hid it well.  
She shrugged. “I dunno. She doesn’t really strike me as a lines kind of person, but what else can we be doing in her office.” I couldn’t help but agree. Clarke paused. “Unless she’s got like an extensive silver ware collection in there.”  
“Hmm, guess we’ll see.” I said, and we both laughed.  
“You gonna knock? Or should I?” She raised an eyebrow at me, her hand lingering unsure in the air.  
“Erm... can you…”I trailed off, it sounded stupid. But Clarke just smiled.  
“Sure.” She shrugged and rapped on the door three times. I didn’t know why the prospect of knocking on her door was so terrifying. Get a grip Aria. I was in trouble enough to know that there was nothing more than a wasted hour of my life behind that door. It didn’t stop me from flinching, no matter how imperceptibly, as the door was swung open.  
“You’re late.” Rosewood said coldly, and my bones seemed to chill at her icy voice. Teachers didn’t intimidate me. They never had. But Rosewood was something more. She didn’t have the manner of a teacher.  
“Sorry Professor.” Clarke apologised. I’d been so caught in my unease that I hadn’t said anything. Rosewood gave me an unfriendly look, and gestured for us to sit. I forced my feet to shuffle forwards. Then pulled out the chair. Then sat down. It was hardly difficult. So why was I like this? Clarke had slumped in her chair, her expression irate.  
“Sit up Miss Rosier.” Rosewood snapped, she too had walked around the other side other desk, and summoned a pile of papers with her wand. “You’ll be sorting these old records today. You won’t leave until you’re finished them. No magic allowed.” My heart sank in my chest. We could be here for hours on end. And I had two essays not done yet due for tomorrow. I sighed, then clapped a hand over my mouth.  
“IS there a problem with that Miss Halliday.” She said curtly, her gaze falling sharply onto me. I fought not squirm under it. Shaking my head furiously, I picked up the first piece of paper, then flicked to the one behind it. They were profiles of children — witches and wizards born in 1958. It stated the day they were born, what their full name was, where they were born and who the parents were. I frowned at it. Hogwarts surely didn’t deal with that information.  
“Professor.” Clarke began, clearly noticing the same thing I had. “I think there some sort of mistake. These are birth records. Hogwarts wouldn’t keep these.”  
“Don’t be foolish child.” snapped Rosewood. “Students are registered at Hogwarts at birth if they are British born. You need to sort them into piles of who goes to this school and who does not. Then again separated for the individual years. Then again for gender. The headmaster has the privilege of delegating tasks such as this. This one is your responsibility.”  
“But Professor.” Clarke pressed, not seeming at all fazed by Rosewoods insult. “Why have not these been done before now. Surely that would have been done the year the sixth years came to Hogwarts.”  
“Its not your job to ask questions Miss Rosier. If you must know these were requested by the ministry—” Clarke made to interrupt her—“And I do not know why.” Rosewood turned on her heel, taking the remaining papers in her hand, and stormed from the office. She left via a different door to the one Clarke and I had entered though, I assumed it lead to where she lived while she taught here.  
I glanced down at the first page. Damian Wayland. Muggleborn. Born in Sheffield. Parents Amelia and Aaron Wayland. Born 1st September 1958. Attends Hogwarts. I slammed the pile of paper into the desk, forming the beginning of a ‘attends’ pile. I’d figure out how to sort gender and that other stuff later.  
“This is stupid.” I growled, looking over as Clarke sifted through the first few on her pile.  
“I know. We’re wizards for a reason. She could easily do this with magic.” Clarkes answering scowl told me she hated this as much as I did.  
“What year are yours from?” I asked, as I placed ‘Lillian Bligh’ into the ‘female attends’ pile.  
“1959.” Clarke said, her voice bitter. “But I’m still on the sixth years. What about you?”  
“’58. Sixth year too.”  
“At least when we reach our year it might be more interesting.” She replied. My mouth felt rather dry. We lapsed into silence for a while. The only sound that of rustling papers and the daunting ticking clock that graced the wall ahead of me. I finished the 1958 pile, rather pleased with myself. I lifted up the next sheet, expecting to see the 1959 group, but no such luck. They were dreadfully out of order. The 1962’s it seemed where destined to me next.  
“This is so disorganised.” Clarke complained loudly, and a part of me felt sure Rosewood would burst into the room at that very moment. But she did not. I nodded in reply. Then all of a sudden, an urge to say something came over me.  
“Thank you.” I could barely register the words coming out of my mouth. I certainly hadn’t planned on saying them. “For standing up to Rosewood for me. You didn’t have to do that.”  
Clarke flushed. “Oh right, it was no trouble. I mean, those guys were being jerks. Potter or whatever his name was.”  
“Yeah. James Potter.” I replied not sure what else to say. “He doesn’t like me very much.”  
“Oh. Yeah I don’t think he likes me very much either.” Clarke muttered, her voice going quiet.  
“He’s got something against Slytherins I think. Doesn’t like their whole pureblood thing.” I shrugged.  
“Oh. Oh right.” She said, her voice barely audible. I had the feeling I was making her uncomfortable. But it wasn’t exactly going to stop me talking. I had to find out if she had something against Muggleborns.  
“You’re not like that right?” I pushed. “You wouldn’t hate someone for their blood status.”  
“Of course not.” She snapped, looking offended. “I’m not like my par—I mean I’m not what Potter thinks I am.” She covered quickly. I noticed she was biting her lip uneasily. I decided to not pick up on what she’d said. “I guess all Slytherins are pureblood then.”  
“I don’t think so.” I mused, thinking back to my own sorting. Clarke frowned. “The sorting hat tried to put me in Slytherin on my sorting, I’m Muggleborn see. But I’d heard nothing but bad things about the house. So I asked it not to. He said I had enough Hufflepuff qualities to change it, if that’s what I truly wanted. I wish he’d let me be in Slytherin. It would have made things a lot easier.” I’d stopped organising the papers now. What the hell was I doing? I’d never told anyone that. Not even Julian, or Layla. Had I really just told a pureblood stranger I barely knew.  
“The hat said Hufflepuff would suit me ill.” Was Clarkes only reply. It seemed she’d seen the melancholy expression on my face and decided to leave the matter to lie. Her own voice sounded wistful, more like she was talking to herself. I shook my head, and looked back to the papers as Rosewood swept into the room.  
“Don’t waste time now girls. I’d hate to have to keep your here so late.” She said, a sick edge to her voice. I gritted my teeth and bit back the retort building on my tongue. Keep my temper. That’s what everyone was always telling me.  
The next few hours passed by in utter silence. Occasionally broken by the scratching of Rosewood’s quill on paper. The paper only became more and more confusing. It must have been well into the night by the time my stack started to dwindle. I’d had several people from my year, including Julian. I was kind of hoping to uncover someone’s secret. But it didn’t happen. Everyone was exactly who they said they were.  
More than anything, I wanted to find myself. Perhaps the truth would lie in these records. That was what sustained me. Stopped me from falling asleep as the hours ticked by. Clarke, it seemed, was quicker than me. Rosewood had not left the room again. I had around ten pages left to Clarkes five when Rosewood jumped from her seat. It was as though something she had read had startled her. She dropped the quill she had been restlessly fiddling with, and the book in her other hand. She did not announce what she was doing as she dash from the room. I shared a concerned glance with Clarke.  
“What in Merlin’s name was that about!” Clarke demanded of no one in particular.  
“Hell only knows.” I muttered, still staring at the seat Rosewood had been sat on moments before.  
“I think…” Clarke, pushed her hair back, her face screwed up in concentration. “Yes…” She shoved all the remaining records into random piles. Scarcely checking them, and also leapt to her feat.  
“Hey Rosier.” I called after her. “Where are you going?”  
“I want to know what she’s doing.” Clarke said, a determined look set on her face. I scowled and looked at my remaining ten papers. I quickly shoved them onto roughly the right piles. I was about to hurry after Clarke, but then I noticed the name on the last sheet of paper, glaring out at me tauntingly.  
Aria Halliday (?)  
It was glaring at me, in its officious bold font. Begging me to read it. I could read it. But I had to go after Clarke. But then… I could take it… no one would notice one file missing. Before I knew what, I was doing, I had shoved the sheet of parchment into my jacket and dashed across the room to where Clarke was crouched. She was listening at the key hole. An odd thing to do, as Rosewood was in there alone. I frowned and crouched beside her. She pressed a finger to her lips and shot me an imploring look.  
Sounds seemed to float from the room Rosewood was in to where we were. Small voices I couldn’t make out. But Clarke seemed to be hearing them perfectly. Oh why did she have to have the key hole? I resigned myself to waiting; hoping she would tell me all this once we left. However, a moment later, Rosewood raised her voice.  
“I know that!” I heard her snarl. “Don’t you think I know what he’ll do if he finds out!”  
I glanced at Clarke, but she was still fixed on Rosewood. Her eyes were narrowed, and her face scrunched up in a determined attempt to figure out what Rosewood was doing. There was s sudden clatter and Clarke looked up. The unspoken look between us was more than enough for us to realised we had to get out of there. Both of us clambered too our feet as quickly as possible. It seemed like a few moments later that I was stood behind the desk. It was easy enough to relax into a normal position, and luckily for me, it seemed Clarke was able to as well.  
The click of the door echoed in my ears, and I made to straighten up one of my piles, the paper sharp against my hands.  
“Hello Professor.” Clarke greeted, her voice calm. There was not a trace of guilt to it. She was clearly experienced at this. My mind flashed back to what she had almost let slip about her parents. “We’ve finished.”  
Rosewood looked up, her face was worn with worry. Her eyes were blinking furiously as she nodded at Clarke’s statement. “Yes—yes that makes sense. Of course. You may go now.” She stuttered, tripping over her words. I wasted no time in leaving. I liked flustered Rosewood much better than angry Rosewood. A let the door drop behind me with a thud and I didn’t stop walking until I had reached the next corridor. I knew Clarke was behind me.  
“We need to talk.” I said, my voice deadly serious, filtering out the curiosity that was eating away at my brain. Whatever Rosewood was doing, it wasn’t good.  
“I know.” Clarke said, “but where?”  
“Follow me.” I muttered darkly, and set off down the corridor. Anywhere was quiet at this time of night, but not too far away was a place no one would enter. My mind was still spinning, trying to determined what I had heard. Rosewood had stormed out after she’d seen something. Something drastic enough to make her ignore the detention she was hosting. Then she’d had a conversation disturbing enough to make her forget to be angry. No. Not just angry—be a teacher at all.  
It hit me that we knew nothing about her. Nothing at all. She was new here and it was quite plausible that she was dangerous. But the most important question, was who the hell was she talking to. If there was someone else in that room, they were terribly quiet. Nevertheless, how else could she have communicated with someone. I bit my lip in annoyance, and pushed my shoulder into the door of the girls bathroom before me.  
“The bathroom?” Clarke said, confused. “But surely—”  
“Trust me, no know will come in here. Especially at this time of night.” We hurried inside, closing the door gently behind us. We shuffled the central sinks and Clarke stopped.  
“Okay. Okay. What just happened?” Her voice steadily got more panicked.  
“I don’t know.” I replied truthfully. Every possibility seemed preposterous. The only thing that seem reasonable, despite how it may seem, was that Rosewood was working for someone out side of the school. Spying for them. My brain was constantly latching onto the possibility. It seemed to obsess over it. Perhaps I just wanted something to be happening, something to take my mind off school and the pettiness of my life. Stuck doing nothing while a war raged around me.  
“She’s up to something. Its not right. She’s planning something, and she’s working for someone. And its not good.” Maybe I wasn’t seeing something in nothing. Maybe this was founded. If Clarke thought so too—  
“What else did you hear?” I demanded, looking into her worried eyes. They glowed in a way I had never seen before, the amber reflecting the moonlight.  
“Not much.” Clarke admitted. “She kept mentioning a child. She was definitely talking to someone. AT first she was insisting that this child was at Hogwarts. The other person seemed to accept that, then she started telling them that she knew how dangerous what she was doing was. Then she shouted, which you heard of course. Now this is the weird bit—” She cocked her head to one side and I supressed a laugh. Only this part is weird now then is it. “—she said, ‘if only you were here, then you’d understand.’”  
“You’re sure.” I asked, trying to take in the information. Rosewood was after a child. Was that why she’d come to Hogwarts?  
“Positive.”  
“So she was talking to someone outside of school. There have to be ways to do that, via magic I mean. You can’t have any technology in Hogwarts, so she didn’t have a phone or anything.” I paused. “Are we sure she’s up to something.”  
“I’m sorry but what else could she be doing.” Clarke said, a note of finality to her voice.  
“I agree.” I nodded my head slowly. Rosewood was up to something, I was sure of it. “You don’t think she’s working for you-know-who do you?” The possibility flickered though my head, and I blurted it before I had the chance to check it for stupidity.  
But Clarke seemed to want to entertain the idea. “It’s possible. It’s definitely possible. Everyone knows he wants Dumbledore dead. A teacher in the school would be a perfect way to do it. If she can get close enough, get him cornered.” To my horror, Clarke’s eyes looked alight at the idea. Like it was something she would want. She seemed to realise this. “Oh no, that’s not at all what I mean! That would be awful. Dumbledore is all that keeps him away from the school, but I can’t pretend to love the man.”  
“That fair.” I looked awkwardly at my feet, shifting my weight on to the sink I was leaning on. “Everyone loves Dumbledore. Everyone trusts him and worships him. or they work for the dark lord. That’s how its always been in my experience. Forgive me for assuming it was the same for you.”  
“And you don’t?” Clarke raised a brow, clearly noticing the contempt in my voice.  
“He’s not him. But he’s cold and unfeeling. Not what they make him out to be. Not some saint who is smart beyond belief.” The words were laced with the contempt that had been building in me for five years. Never before had I met anyone like minded to me on this issue. Anyone who didn’t hate to be near me for my blood status anyhow.  
“Voldemort is an evil that is brash and bold. His statements are unforgiving and not subtle. His reign depends on fear. He has a thirst for power and a belief that some are unworthy. He can lie and trick if he needs to, but that’s not how he wants to rule. That’s why he fears Dumbledore. They are opposites, yet both deeply flawed. Good people never rule the world. They wouldn’t have the guts to reach the top.” Her voice grew more confident at she spoke, and it seemed the words rang true in my ears. No doubt it was a strange time for a speech as such, but I couldn’t help but agree, and they drew me in. I hadn’t even questioned her use of his name.  
“What are we going to do?” I asked, pushing off the sink, and looking at her. She stared back, the determined look once again adorning her features. “We can’[t just leave this. We can’t tell anyone, because they’ll just tell us to trust Dumbledore. We can’t tell Dumbledore, because we don’t trust him. The ministry won’t care enough. They’re in crisis.”  
“We have to do something.” Clarke said, shaking her head and causing her hair to fall in front of her face. She brushed it behind her ear, and looked up. “If there no one we can go to, we have to find out what this is ourselves. If we do get evidence, then the teachers will have to believe us. Dumbledore may be elusive, but he wouldn’t employ a spy in his own school. He can find out what’s happening as himself easily enough. Besides, he’s not the type. I get if you want to tell someone what we heard. But I’m used to doing thins by myself. And there isn’t always someone to save you.”  
“Sometimes you have to take things into your own hands.” I finished. “there is no need to justify this. I-I’m used to doing things alone too. But how do I know I can trust you?” Trusting was never my forte, and in the back of my mind this all felt like an elaborate joke.  
“You don’t. But you can. I swear. Look, Aria, I get why you doubt me. But why could I possibly be doing that’s this elaborate. If I wanted to humiliate you, I could jinx you in the corridor. And if I wanted to kill you or kidnap you, which I don’t, but if it I did, why would I still be stood here talking to you?” she had a fair point. But it wasn’t exactly my fault I was this cynical.  
“Fine. Fair enough. Now we’ve resolved to do something, what?” We hadn’t answered the question posed earlier, and we needed to know the truth.  
“I guess we have to spy on her. Find out what she’s doing. If its dangerous. Prove what it is, put an end to it. We’ll have to talk about it obviously. And not to sound ridiculously cliché, but we probably should keep our friendship secret, so no one suspects what we’re doing.” Clarke said, looking at the ground now, but her expression was fierce.  
I raised a brow. “We’re friends, now are we?”  
“Oh!” She seemed to realise what she’d said. “Of course I didn’t mean it like, well if you—oh—”  
“Don’t worry.” I let out a snort at her blabbering. “We’re friends if you want to be.”  
“Yeah. I’d like that.” She nodded in reply. “Should we meet here? What even is this place?”  
“Here’s good, most of the time. We can discuss when in class or something. There’s no reason we can’t be friendly.” I said, unable to help but worry about keeping things from Julian and Layla. “And we don’t tell anyone else. At all. Promise.”  
“Promise.” Clarke held out her hand, and I shook it, a small smile creeping onto my face.  
“As for where we are. This is moaning myrtles bathroom. No one likes to come in here. She cries a lot see. I don’t think she’s here at the moment but—” I was cut off by a swishing sound.  
“Not here am I.” Myrtle hissed, floating though a toilet door and into view. She glared at us though the rims of her glasses. “It’s been a while since people plotted in my bathroom. Not to worry, I won’t tell. Not that I would have anyone to speak to.” With that, she let out a melodramatic cry, and disappeared down a toilet with a load splash.  
“I see why people don’t come in here now.” Clarke said and we both burst out laughing. Properly laughing. Friends it was.

*

As I arrived back at the Hufflepuff common room, my mind was busy with other things besides the paper tucked safely in my pocket. I tapped the second barrel from the bottom, almost out of habit, and the still life swung open in front of me. I hurried quickly though the short tunnel that leads to the common room, and entered the normally buzzing circular room that had been my home for the last four years. It was nice and peaceful at this time of night, which I estimated to be around three in the morning, I hated the normal bustle, it was not easy to concentrate on homework or writing or whatever I was doing. I preferred to spend time in the dorm, which were quiet and cosy, especially as mine only houses myself and Layla.  
As I stumbled inside, scarily avoid the leg of an armchair, the paper tumbled out of my jacket, floating to the floor. I swore, and fumbled for it in the dark. My mind had been so distracted by Rosewood and Clarke that I’d forgotten all about it. The paper that might hold the truth about me. I finally clasped my hand around it, when the common room lit up. I shoved it hastily back into my jacket, and stood their looking rather shifty.  
“Aria Halliday!” Layla had got out of a chair with incredible speed, she seemed to have been sat on it in the dark, and strode over to me. Her expression was dangerous, well, friendly dangerous. “Where in Merlin’s name have you been?” Her eyes were narrowed and now she came closer, I noticed she was truly wearing her ‘mum face’ expression.  
“Detention.” I muttered, looking down. I hated that I couldn’t tell Layla and Julian about this. But I didn’t want to drag them into something they couldn’t’ escape. Plus, I couldn’t help but think that if we got into the business of telling friends, Clarke may tell some people who are rather more untrustworthy than my friends.  
“For eight hours!” She said, incredulous.  
“Um, yeah. We had to sort out old records. It took a while.” I said, looking down. “Then I took a long route back.” I supposed I could make up some story. I was good enough at it. “Then I meet peeves. So um yeah.”  
Layla narrowed her eyes in disbelief, but nodded all the same. “Whatever you say Aria. But go and get some sleep alright.” She snapped. I mumbled a response which was more a jumble of sounds than actual words and headed up the stairs. I supposed the sheet could wait one more night. I’d only waited 15 years.


	5. Different

Chapter 4  
Natalia’s PoV  
“Would you mind passing me that toad, he’s hopped off my desk?” I couldn’t help but jump as I glanced up into the eyes of Aria Halliday. She had rocked her chair off to one side and was leaning over my own desk, her eyes set on a large toad on the floor beside my foot. I was more afraid of her than the toad, but I scrambled backwards, startled, nevertheless. She raised a brow at me and I glanced down furiously, scooping up the toad and passing it back to her.  
“There you go.” I mumbled, looking away at my own toad.  
“Thanks.” She said brightly, and swung her chair back to sit on all four legs.  
“No problem.” I replied, eager to escape the conversation. I hadn’t been able to look her in the eyes since two nights ago. Or Clarke Rosier for that matter. I had no idea what I was proposing to do about what I’d over heard. All it seemed I had been able to do so far was thank the gods that Izzy hadn’t been with me.  
She’d wanted to go for a walk at night around school, and seeing as I couldn’t have stopped her, I went with her. Of course we would stumble across filch, meaning getting separated. Meaning hiding in moaning myrtles bathroom. Meaning over hearing plots against the defence against the dark arts teacher. Oh god I really was screwed.  
How did you tell someone that you accidentally over heard there conversation that they had in a desert bathroom at three o’clock in the morning? No easily that’s for sure. I’d thought about approaching them multiple times, but I’d never been able to pluck up the courage to do it. Not very Gryffindor of you Natalia, I thought bitterly. It was hard to catch them both at the same time anyhow, seeing as they were never together.  
“Wintre!” McGonagall’s sharp voice rang out across the room. “Would you pay attention!”  
“Oh yeah, sorry professor.” I said sheepishly, looking up. It was only then that I noticed she’d been talking, and that Lily had been nudging me from my left.  
“Hmm.” The Professor replied, looking at me warily. “As I was saying, I want an essay on the importance of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. Due for next week. Class dismissed.” Noise broke out instantly, as the room rose to their feet and began to pack their bags.  
“I don’t have any time for this.” Marlene groaned from the other side of Lily. “I already have that three foot essay from Flitwick, and that other one from Rosewood. I swear if we get anything from Slughorn…” She trailed off, looking exasperated as we made our way out of the classroom with everyone else.  
“You’ll do what exactly?” Lily said, smirking.  
“Ugh!” Marlene protested.  
“Maybe Slughorn will be feeling nice?” I said, unenthusiastically.  
“No teachers are nice in OWL year.” Lily said, cocking her head to one side as we headed down the stairs to the dungeons.  
“That’s valid.” I nodded, it was true.  
Once the class had settled down, Slughorn explained we would be making a hysteria potion. He hadn’t mentioned nay homework, but it was decidedly to early to hope.  
“Professor.” Clarke Rosier’s voice sounded from across the classroom. “I’ve forgotten my book, should I go back and get it or—”  
“Oh no worries. You’re new aren’t you.” He put great emphasis on the word new, of course Slughorn would love Clarke. Just as he loved Lily. Clarke was exciting, and new, and from what I’d over heard, quite possibly up to something. Something that the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be apart of. “You can share with Miss Wintre over here, she’s no one sitting next to her.”  
I repressed my disbelieving sigh. I would be the one sat at the front wouldn’t I. now I’d landing myself with a whole hour of sitting next the one person I wanted to avoid. Or maybe talk to. I supposed it had opened up an easy opportunity…  
“Hello.” Clarkes voice was relatively dull as she dumped her things next to me. Or perhaps that was just my brain trying to give me reasons to not talk to her.  
“Hullo.” I replied back, I sounded truly devastated. Oh hell.  
“You alright?” She frowned, and slumped down in her stool and Slughorn passed out the ingredients.  
“Oh me?” I said, stupidly, “Fine yeah. Never been better.” I said, my voice sounding highly fake.  
She muttered something that sounded a bit like bloody Gryffindors, and picked up her knife. I’d already turned the book to the right pages, and I watched as her eyes ran over the instructions and she began to chop her caterpillars.  
“You to transfixed watching me, or are you going to start your own potion?” She snapped, after about a minute of my watching the rhythmic chopping of her knife.  
“Yeah, I am. I’m just, erm, reading.” I retorted angrily, pulling my book towards me rather aggressively.  
“Sure.” She rolled her eyes and continued to chop. We both continued to make our potions in silence, until about half way though the lesson, when Slughorn came around. My potion was a sloppy green colour, not at all like the vibrant purple of Clarke’s. I could only hope I was at an earlier stage.  
“Well done Miss Rosier!” He exclaimed in delight as he saw her potion. “This is almost completed, and to perfection as well. Tell me, how was the potions teaching at Beauxbatons? I daresay I once knew the Professor there, but after she retired, I seem to have lost track.”  
“It was very good sir, but I’m sure it’s better at Hogwarts.” A smile flooded her face. I would have been inclined to think she was rather a suck up had she not looked so genuinely thrilled at his praise.  
“Well, it must be a natural talent. This is very good indeed.” He was positively beaming now, and he passed our bench without so much looking at my potion. I guess I didn’t really want him too. Clarke, in her temporary euphoria, seemed to have knocked her bag open.  
“Oh I can get it.” I said politely, out of habit, and bent down to pick up the book that had fallen out. I blinked in disbelief. It was her copy of our textbook.  
“Oh no.” She cried, also bending down but it was too late.  
“Care to explain why you lied?” I snapped, but my voice was a whisper.  
“No.” She replied stubbornly, and went back to stirring her potion. I glanced around the room, all possible reasons for her deceit eluding me, until—  
“You wanted to sit next to Halliday.” I realised, stopping the empty seat next to her. “So you could talk about when to meet. That’s why you looked so annoyed when you ended up next to me instead.” The words came tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them. I didn’t bother clamping a hand over my mouth. It wouldn’t suck them back in.  
“How the hell would you know about that?” Clarke hissed, she looked glad for the buzzing atmosphere in the classroom.  
“Err.” Crap  
“What?” She snapped. “Spit it out Wintre.”  
“I may have over heard you and her last night.”  
“What the hell were you doing in a bathroom at three in the morning?” Her anger seemed to have evaporated into disbelief.  
“Well I could ask you the same thing.” I said, glaring at her, but only half-heartedly. This wasn’t really going how I’d imagined.  
“I’d just got out of a detention with Rosewood. But seeing as you were eavesdropping, you’d know that.”  
“I wasn’t purposely eavesdropping. I’d been running from filch. The bathroom was the closest thing I could find to a hiding place. Then I just heard you come in. I didn’t think Filch would come in, but I couldn’t be sure. So I hid in a cubicle. Once you started talking, I couldn’t really bring myself to come out. So I waited till you’d gone, oh I’m so sorry. I’ve been meaning to talk to you. I think what your doing is really brave to be honest.” The spiel of words erupted from my mouth, the only thing I seemed to remember was to keep quiet. All other sense had escaped me. But it did make sense to tell her when I thought about it.  
“That’s actually a very believable story.” She said, frowning, as if she would be able to read my mind if she concentrated hard enough. “You want to help?” I trace of mischief had leaked into her voice.  
“Yes. Yeah I’d like that.” I said, not sure if the words were really appropriate.  
“How do I know you won’t go running to Rosewood?” her gaze suddenly became cynical again. “I mean it’s too late now, but best to be sure.”  
I hadn’t been expecting that. You trust to easily Lia. Izzy’s voice echoed in my ears. I supposed I did sometimes. “Well.” I said slowly, not really sure how I could prove it. “Surely I would have told her by now. I’ve known for two days, haven’t I?”  
“Fair enough.” Clarke seemed to be able to accept that. I breathed a sigh of relief and subconsciously looked over my shoulder, so to check no prying ears were close by. With the bench behind us empty, and the two to each side fairly far away, it seemed we were in luck. “Meet me in the bathroom at seven tomorrow night. I’ll tell Aria. If you don’t show you’re out. And no talking about it in the open alright? No telling friends.” She jerk her head at Lily and Marlene. I let out a humourless laugh.  
“That won’t be an issue.” My friendship with Lily and Marlene was anything but serious. We weren’t exactly close.  
We worked in silence for the rest of the lesson. We mostly, occasionally talking about the actual potion. Mine had turned out alright with Clarke’s help. I was usually decent at potions, but nothing special.  
“My word!” Slughorn said happily as he came to grade our potions. “Miss Rosier this is brilliant. Do you mind if we keep some of this? Good to have some stock of these things of course.”  
“Not at all Sir.” She replied, the happy look returning to her face.  
“Yes, yes. That must be an O.” He looked own at mine, and I was both thrilled and surprised to see the look on his face had not changed. “Oh Miss Wintre this is good. Much better than usual. Not quite up to Miss Rosier’s standard, but that’s can’t be expected of course. Ten points to Gryffindor, that’ll be an O as well. And of course, twenty points to Slytherin for that. How would you to like to come along to a little function I’m holding on Sunday night. It’ll be quite enjoyable I promise. It’ll be in my office. Seven O’clock.”  
I grinned, I couldn’t help myself. I’d never dreamed of being invited to the Slugclub, Lily had told me it wasn’t all it was made out to be, but I think she was just tying to make Marlene and I feel better about not being invited.   
“Of course.” I replied, trying to keep my evident joy to a minimum, before I did something stupid.  
“Sure.” Clarke said, looking much more casual about it, but she seemed that way about everything, save secret meetings about DADA teachers, but that was fair enough.  
“Lovely I’ll see you then.” He beamed, then looked around the class. “It seems were out of time class, leave you’re potions here if there unmarked and I’ll return you’re cauldrons to you next lesson. Have a nice weekend.” There was a low murmur of ’you too’s’ and the class evaporated back into the corridors, taking this as dismissal. Clarke offered me a weak smile as we reached the door, and then disappeared out of the crowd and down further into the dungeons, where the Slytherin common room was situated. I’d never really imagined myself mingling with students from other houses.  
It was a bit stupid really, the hat had warned us about sticking together. I shouldn’t really have been so narrow minded. Izzy already had a Ravenclaw friend. She is far more outgoing than I ever was at that age, part of me envies that about her. But a bigger part of me just wants her to be happy.  
It was a long and winding trudge back to the common room. My brain was now wrapped up in the events of potions, I didn’t know what to focus on. The fact I just got invited to the Slugclub, the fact that I might have potential friends, or the fact that Rosewood might be plotting to murder us all for sure. I felt that the latter was the most important, but it didn’t stop excitement about the other two pulsing through me.  
“Crystal.” I said, reaching the fat lady with a grin across my face.  
“What’s got you so happy?” She said as she swung open, eyeing me suspiciously.  
“Oh nothing.” I said, but my tone was decidedly cheerful.  
“Whatever you say.” I stepped into the common room, the ruby sofa’s were still empty at this time, most people still returning from lessons. I headed over to one, content that I would have a night off homework, as I couldn’t possibly get anymore over the weekend.  
“Give it back Camille!” A voice a recognised shouted from across the room, sounding hurt. I stopped short and looked over my shoulder. Izzy and a girl I assumed to be Camille were standing by the fireplace. Camille was holding Izzy’s school bag, and it was dangerously near to to flames.  
“No.” Camille snapped stubbornly, her eyes narrowed. “Tell me how you did and then I’ll give it you back.” The flames were licking at the fabric now, and I strode forwards.  
“Give it back to her now.” I said with what I hoped was a commanding voice.  
“And why should I?” Camille sneered, turning to face me. thankfully this meant that she loosened her grip on the bad and took it away from the fire. Izzy snatched it back.  
“Because she’s my sister.” Izzy snarled at Camille, I’d never seen her so fierce.  
“What did you want with her?” I asked, both angry and curious.  
“I wanted to know how she made the feather fly in charms.” Camille hissed, looking vehemently from Izzy to I.  
“And I’ve told you. I don’t know!” Izzy cried hopelessly, flinging her arms in the arm and narrowly clinging on to her bag. “I just knew I needed it to fly, so I said the spell out loud and it flew.”  
I frowned, that sounded perfectly normal to me.  
“But why didn’t you use your wand huh Isabelle.” She spat my sister’s name like it was a curse on her lips. “That’s not normal. That’s dark magic, maybe you should consult the sorting hat, I think you’re more likely to belong in Slytherin than here.” Camille turned on her heel and stalked out of the common room, mostly likely with nowhere to go. Izzy let out a sigh and collapsed on the sofa next to us. I sat beside her.  
“Are you alright?” I asked, my happiness making way for concern. Wandless magic. That was advanced.  
“Yeah.” She nodded, but looked down at her feet. “Is it?” I frowned, and she continued. “Wandless magic, is it dark magic?”  
“No!” I exclaimed. “Its just really advanced Iz, I don’t think many people would expect a first year to be able to do it. It doesn’t mean you’re dark, it just means you’re good at magic. That’s not a bad thing. She’s probably just jealous.” But I was worried. I couldn’t deny it. I would never tell Izzy, but a first year doing wandless magic. That’s—unheard of. And its not exactly like I come from a long line of powerful wizards.  
“T-that’s good.” She stammered, clearly still phased by it. “So I’m just good at magic then. Because that’s even better, I was worried I’d be awful.”  
“You were never going to be awful!”  
“I might have been.” She said obstinately, raising her eyebrows.  
“No you couldn’t have been, don’t lie to yourself. Anyhow, don’t worry about what that girl said. What was her name by the way?”  
“Camille. Camille McLaggen.” Izzy replied, sounding much happier now.  
“Ah, that makes sense I suppose. I know her sister.” I nodded slowly, Emily McLaggen was in my year and profoundly arrogant and annoying.  
“Oh right. Well I’ll see you later. I said I’d meet Alia.” Izzy smiled, and jumped from her seat.  
“See you.” I muttered in reply, but she was already gone. It seemed a had a lot more ahead of me than I’d imagined this year.


	6. Admirable Not Petty

Chapter 5  
Clarke’s PoV  
The hours until Saturday night ticked down slowly. I’d barely spoken to anyone since Friday night. Maya has been glaring at me since I became Slughorn’s new favourite. It doesn’t matter how many times I insist I don’t want to be. She says it isn’t fair that he doesn’t like her because her parents are death eaters, but he’s totally fine with me. I guess she has a point, but I know its Jules’ mystery that draws him to me as well as my potions ability. But he won’t get any answers from me.  
The other girls in my dorm have given up asking, Holly got rather annoyed at me about it for a day or so, but it was kept going by my meeting with Aria. I shouldn’t have been so happy to have discovered Rosewood could be dangerous, I knew that, but it didn’t change the fact I was. I was thrilled to pieces. I suddenly felt like I had a purpose, and a redemption. I seemed to thrive of secrets for some strange reason.  
“Clarke it’s nine o’clock.” Someone was shaking me roughly. I groaned and rolled away from them, my hands grabbing tightly on to my covers.  
“Go away.” I mumbled, but it probably sounded more like goawabs seeing as I was speaking into my pillow.  
“Accio duvet.” The same voice said, and I heard a flick of a wand in the air. My duvet tried to tug out of my arms and I gave in. Rolling over, I let my feet drop off the side of my bed and onto the soft carpeted floor below me.  
“Alright, I’m getting up!” I half moaned half yawned. It seemed that a good fifteen minutes later, after I’d actually managed to get up, clean my teeth and get changed, I was stood beside Holly and Morgan. I was still half leaning on Morgan as we tumbled down the stairs, trying not to trip. The good news was I had no homework for the weekend. The bad news was I’d only had about two hours of sleep the previous night and was a complete mess. I collapsed onto the emerald sofa as soon as I could.  
“Why did you need to wake me?” I complained to Holly, who it turned out had been the owner of the voice.  
“Why did you stay up all night doing homework?” She replied, raising a knowing eyebrow. With no retort, I resulted to scowling while they began a conversation. I had no idea what it was about, it was all I could do to not fall asleep. I was used to little sleep, but I’d have about ten hours across the entire first week of school, which was very little even for me. After about fifteen minutes of sitting there, my senses seemed to return to me, and suddenly I was wide awake.  
I was meeting Aria and Natalia at seven. I couldn’t forget that. Moaning myrtles bathroom. Oh merlin where was that again? I sighed and buried my head into my hands. I’d remember soon enough. I’d spent a good long while thinking about it last night. We definitely needed somewhere better to meet, seeing as Natalia was able to find us and over hear us so easily. I wanted her to be nice, and to help us. If she could find things out from the Gryffindor end it would certainly be beneficial—but a large part of me was still grappling with the fact I was trusting a Gryffindor. I still hadn’t told Aria about her. So I guessed I’d have to explain tonight. I couldn’t confess to be looking forwards to it.  
“You alright Clarke?” Holly called from next to me. I brought my head up hurriedly.  
“Yeah, just tired.” I muttered, I’d kind of forgotten they were there.  
“So what do you think of Hogwarts in your first week?”  
“Astronomically better that Beauxbatons.” I said, smirking and glad for the distraction. It was the truth.  
“Even with the homework?”  
“Even with the homework.” I confirmed, nodding at a disbelieving Morgan. “I have friends here. My sisters happy. No one is ridiculously stuck up. The environment is generally warmer. I like it. I mean some of the people could be better.” My mind drifted to the incident with the marauders earlier in the week.  
“Potter?” Holly questioned with a knowing smile.  
“He’s just so annoying! I mean, someone just needs to deflate his stupid head.” I snapped, I’d had another run in with him on Thursday, when he’d tried to jinx me in the corridor. “He walks around like he owns the place.”  
“Yeah. He’s every hated in Slytherin. He calls the lot of us ‘stuck up purebloods’. As if he’s so high and mighty. He spends half his time obsessing over that muggle girl Lily Evans.” I frowned.  
“Evans?” I said, confused. “She’s not a muggle.”  
“Might as well be, she’s Muggleborn isn’t she.” Holly growled, as if I’d awoken some deep down monster that was filled with anger. I bit back a retort. I’d wanted to escape this here. I’d only hoped Holly won’t be so bad.  
“Holly!” Morgan exclaimed, and my heart seemed to settle down. At least a had one friend with humane views. “Lily’s just as human as the rest of us.”  
“What ever you say Mor. Just don’t go off dating one like my sister,” The scowl on her face was more pronounced than I had ever seen. “And she’s got her best friend, Indiana Johnson. At least she’s broken up with that Davies boy. The Hufflepuff.”  
I hadn’t known her sister had been dating Noah Davies. He’d sat next to me in Charms on Wednesday and seemed relatively nice. I was yet to interact with Selene Fawley, but from the way Holly spoke about her, she wasn’t very nice. Then again, Holly didn’t like many people, and Selene was her sister…  
“Hmm.” I mused, not really sure what I was considering. I was just eager to get away from this conversation. “How come you guys aren’t friends with Maya and Rory?”  
Holly and Morgan shared a look, and remained silent.  
“Guys?” I pressed, frowning. Maya’s morals were questionable. But so were holly’s. the two of them seemed pleasant enough.  
“Holly’s family. They don’t really like the Lestrange’s.” Morgan shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I bit my lip. Maybe I’d stepped into something I did not mean to.  
“Oh right.” I nodded. Holly could tell me if she felt like it. When she felt like it. But it didn’t mean I wasn’t curious. Why were there so many bloody secrets at this school. “I’m gonna, erm, go the library, see you guys later.”  
As soon as I said it, I realised it was a stupid excuse, seeing as I’d already done all my homework. I supposed I could just read or something. The air was too tense with those too. After what had just happened. And with Holly talking about Muggleborns like that, I had enough of it at home, I didn’t need that at school too. They ruined everything. They’d corrupted Jules, I was just lucky that I wasn’t so foolish. I knew that if my real mother were alive, she never would have let this happen. She’d died when I was ten, the year before school. My dad remarried in the same year after moving us to France. So Beauxbatons it was. I f I could change anything that had happened to me, it would be that moment.  
When I reached the library, I slumped aimlessly into a chair. In front of me was a simple wooden desk, and behind that a bookcase. The library had been a point of refugee for me thus far. It was my escape from the Slytherin’s. I’m already established which parts were least used and so on. The librarian was rather bristly, but I could abide by her. My eye scanned the shelves in front of me, but nothing looked to be very interesting.  
Running my finger across the worn and battered spines, I pulled out a random book (Potions for beginners). At least now I would look like I was doing something. When in all actuality, I was mulling over the events of the past few days. My brain now seemed able to cope with the prospect of Natalia knowing. It was now more fixated on what the hell were we doing? What made us think we were able to do anything about it anyway. We were like primary school children grasping at straws and tying to make a mystery were nothing was. There was no denying what we had overheard. But start some weird secret club. We were mad. It must have been the adrenaline. We couldn’t truly be that foolish. We were all in different houses, we were sure to be caught.  
I sighed, and idly flicked the page in the book, not paying any attention to the words on the page. On the flip side, Aria was far more bearable than any other Slytherins I had met, excluding perhaps Morgan. I craved a friendship with her almost as much as I craved the exhilaration of this being real. There was no way for us to simply ignore what we heard on Wednesday. She was doing something dodgy. We have every right to investigate, if we want to. We could get into a lot of trouble, but if we’re right, we could also dig Hogwarts out of a lot of trouble.  
In my mind that pros outweighed the cons, but I’d have to talk to Aria. And Natalia I supposed. Maybe that was another problem, she didn’t exactly know what she was getting into. There was no contract or prophecy that said this had to be us. But if not you, who else? The fact remained clear.  
“Potions for beginners?” I was startled from my thoughts. I spun my head, self-consciously closing the book I was holding up. Behind me stood a girl with light purple hair. At first, I thought it was Holly’s sister, but it hit me that she had much longer hair. The smirk on her face was familiar. Of course, it was Rory. I should have known.  
“I’m not really looking at it.” I mumbled uncomfortably.  
“You’re just tying to not get kicked out?” She pulled out the chair next to me and it made a horrifying squeak. I nodded awkwardly. I wasn’t really sure how to behave towards her. Metamorphosis’ had always fascinated me, and she seemed relatively pleasant, but with the cloud of whatever her family had done looming over me…  
“I like to come here to get away from it all y’know?” She said, now slumped into the chair beside me. I supposed a conversation couldn’t hurt. I slid the book back onto the shelf and looked over with interest.  
“Yeah. It can get a bit to much sometimes. Holly’s quite…” I trailed off, not sure what the right adjective to describe her would be.  
“Yeah, we were friends in first and second year. She’s quite full on. Mor’s nice though. It’s a shame, we don’t talk much anymore.”  
“You were friends with Holly?” the words erupted form my mouth before I could stop them, my curiosity taking over.  
“Oh yes.” Rory said, a dark edge to her tone. “We were pretty close in first year. Then in second year everything started to change…” She trailed doff, not meeting my gaze.  
“You don’t have to say.” I said quickly.  
“I would, but really its Holly’s secret to tell. She had done something, and I couldn’t find away to forgive her for it. Our families became pretty angry with each other too. I kind of got landed with Maya.” Rory shrugged. “Not that I’m complaining. I’ve had a better run with friends than some people—” She seemed to notice the shocked look on my face “—its not some big secret all this you know? Its not weird that I’m telling you. I think you should know really. Seeing as they’re the people you’re living with for the next two years.”  
“Oh right, I wasn’t really think that it was a secret. I was just a little confused.” I replied honestly, feeling a little sheepish.  
“Well, you seem nice enough. I know you’ve fallen in with Holly. But if you want to be friends, I’m here.” The ends of her hair were turning a bubble-gum blue colour as she looked at me expectantly.  
“Actually. I’d like that.” The more I contemplated the idea, the nicer it seemed. Rory looked thrilled.  
“Want to know how to get into the restricted section with out teacher permission?” She grinned, standing up. Nodding enthusiastically, I followed her across the library, my mind distracted form all things to do with secret clubs and Rosewood.  
***  
I learnt a lot of things that day, including how to get past Madame Pince into the restricted section, That quidditch trials were next Thursday, if I wanted to go, and that Rory Lestrange was a surprisingly nice person. She didn’t seem to share Maya’s morals, or Holly’s for that matter, she was bubbly and interesting, but not exhausting to talk to. It was refreshing. I’d spent the majority of the day with her. After dinner I had made my excuses and wondered away to the bathroom, ready to meet the others.  
I felt a lot more serene about the whole situation than I had in the morning. Perhaps I had distracted myself, or just thought about it too much and given up. I sighed as I pushed open the door to the bathroom, a glance at my watch told me I was ten minutes late. I stepped inside, and yelped in surprise as water lapped at my shoes. I jumped back, and rammed my shoulder blade into the door. Rubbing it, I tiptoed over the water, trying not to get any in my shoes, and reached refuge by the sink. Aria and Natalia both stood there, laughing.  
“That wasn’t funny.” I complained, still rubbing my shoulder. Aria just grinned.  
“Natalia caught me up on what happened on Friday. We checked the stalls today. No one but moaning myrtle, who threw a fit when we came in and her crying flooded—” She gestured to the wet floor “—whatever part of the room that is.”  
“Stupid Myrtle.” I muttered, then looked around self-consciously in case she was suddenly there. It seemed I was in the clear. “So, erm, yeah.”  
“Well, I’ve already told Natalia about what we heard on Wednesday. That we think Rosewood is up to something. I guess we need to discuss what we actually plan to do.”  
I nodded slowly. We hadn’t really thought this through. “I suppose, we just keep an eye out, if one of us notices something odd, then we have to report back.”  
“How?” Natalia said, speaking for the first time. Her eyebrows were raised.  
“We need to figure that out too. We also need a better meeting place. This isn’t good enough.” My eyes ran around the cold and wet bathroom, the others nodded in agreement.  
“We could use a secret passage way? There’s a pretty roomy one on the fourth floor—” Natalia was cut off.  
“What? And have the Marauders catch us there. I think not.” Her face was full of disdain that I knew was not directed at Natalia.  
“We’ll have to keep looking. Here is fine for now. As for communication, I don’t have any, but I’ve heard of two way mirrors. You look into it and say the name of the person you want to see, and it shows you them. You can talk though, and they’ll hear you.” Aria suggested, looking thoughtful.  
“That would work… but how do you suggest we get them.” I mused, I’d heard of those as well.  
“I haven’t figured that part out yet.” She admitted, sighing.  
“I say we meet again in a weeks’ time, and we all active spend the week researching and looking for places to meet. There has to be somewhere.” I said slowly, trying to think back to anywhere I might have seen for us to meet.  
“Yeah...” Natalia trailed off, looking thoughtful. “Guys. We’re not overacting, are we?”  
I had to admit, the doubt had enter my mind too.  
“No.” Aria said firmly. “No we are not over reacting. Even if we are, there not reason that I can’t start a secret club just have friends in different houses. You all heard what the sorting hat said. We’re listening to it. That’s admirable, not petty.”  
Admirable not petty. As we lapsed into conversation again, the words stuck with me. Maybe this was something better than I thought. Maybe I would have something to be proud of.

 

So.. I'm really sorry for this chapter and I promise this is as filler like as I'll let them get. I know it was pretty boring but there literally nothing I can do to take it out or make it more interesting, so I promise the next one will return to a better level of interest. -R


	7. Inkling of Truth

Chapter 6  
Selene’s PoV  
“Ideal version of heaven. Go.” Di said, they were sat in the common room on Sunday evening, and Selene was waiting to go to Slughorn’s party. She and Holly had both been invited the previous day, much to her dismay.  
“Endless fields of all kind of food. All the people are nice and I’m really rich.” Robin said instantly, I snorted, it was ridiculous. The way he just knew that of the top of his head. I quickly turned my snort into a cough and Riley patted my back.  
“I say a world where I can get away with doing illegal things.” Jamie said, looking rather smug. I supposed he thought that saying that made him seem special or something.  
“I’d like a world where I have friends with actual brains. You could never get away with any crimes in any world Jamie and you know it.” I paused. “But also a world were common sense was actually common would be nice too.” Jamie rolled his eyes at me.  
“Don’t you have to go to that fancy party of Slughorn’s.” he jerked his head toward the portrait and gave me a pointed look.  
“Don’t look like that Jamie everyone knows that its only for this one time.” Di scowled at him, as I got up.  
“I’d forgotten about that.” I mumbled lamely. That was a lie. It was all I’d been thinking about. Stupid Holly just had to talk about our aunt loudly in front of him.  
“See you.” Di waved and there was a chorus of dismissal from my friends. I sighed and got up, swinging my bag across my shoulder and trudging out the door.  
I’d never been to one of these parties before. Only fourth years and above got invited, and I wasn’t interesting enough last year. I loathed the way Slughorn held parties for the students he favoured. It was irritating and put people together who didn’t get on. Noah had been to a few last year, and I’d been his date to the Christmas party.  
As I forced myself towards Slughorn’s office, turning yet another corner in the warren that was the dungeons, I ran straight into Holly. My shoulder hit hers and I spun around on instinct. We stared at each other, the anger in our eyes evidently mutual. My headache seemed to come back at that point. They’d been steadily getting worse over the last week and I was mildly concerned I was getting a migraine.   
“Slughorn’s office is that way idiot.” Holly shook her head like she was disappointed and took a few steps forward. She stopped short at a door I had just passed and knocked sharply on it. Moments later it was swung open by Clarke Rosier. She looked a mix between annoyed and happy, the expression on her face unlike anything I’d ever seen. I frowned. She gestured us to enter and I did, following Holly.  
“Ah welcome.” Slughorn’s booming voice rang out and I looked up frantically trying to gather where it was coming from. Finally I found him, sat at the head of the table in his unusually large office. “Come on now, gather around. We’ll have to get introduced, new year new people.”  
As I found my seat at the table, which t my disappointment was between Rosier and my sister, I noticed that there were an unusual amount of people from my year there. Lily Evans, she was Slughorn’s favourite, Holly and I, Clarke Rosier and Natalia Wintre.  
“So, hello everyone. I take it you two know each other.” He gave Holly and I smile, I offered a weak one in return, but internally I was annoyed. “Then Clarke Rosier, also in your year of course.” Clarke shot us an awkward look. “And Natalia Wintre and Lily Evans. Of course this is Johnathon—” I instantly tuned out, I didn’t care who everyone was.  
I looked up again when the food was set out. There was all manner of dishes, rather like how it was at the start of term feast. I help myself to some potatoes and take a sip of the drink. I can instantly tell its firewhisky from the way it burns down my throat. Slughorn shouldn’t really be giving alcohol to underage students. I frowned and resolved not to drink anymore. I noticed Holly had taken a big gulp. Oh it would be brilliant to see her get drunk. Grinning to myself, I look beside me the other direction.  
“So what do your parents do then Clarke?” Slughorn said sociably to Rosier. She hasn’t touched any of the food.  
“Erm.” She mumbled with out looking up. She was prodding a piece of chicken with her fork but hadn’t eaten any. “They don’t really talk about work at home. They both work at the ministry though.” Her voice was trailed off and Slughorn was looking slightly disappointed. “My Mum works in the department of mysteries. But I don’t see her a lot. I suppose I’ll see her more now I’m back in the country.” Rosier’s voice perked up a little at the end, seemingly more cheerful once she’d said something Slughorn wanted to hear. She still hadn’t eaten though, she looking down at her food again mistrustfully. It was almost as if she was expecting it to be poisoned.  
“Yes, yes. Beauxbatons you used to go to no?”  
“Yeah I did.” She replied. Slughorn gave an interested look.  
“What spurred the move back to the UK?” He asked, his tone filled with polite curiosity. But I could see past is and it was clear Rosier could too, from the cold look on her face. Everyone knew by now that Jules Rosier had been expelled. No one knew why though.  
“Oh well my step-mum has wanted to for a while, she likes England better. So we just decided to go. Especially with what happened with Jules and all.” She said it as if this were matter of fact information. But the whole room had lent forwards now, all interested in what Rosier was saying. Th look on her face quickly turned from anger to fear. I couldn’t feel sorry for her though. Talking about her probably death eater parents. No wonder she didn’t want to say what they did.  
“What did happen with your sister?” Someone called Shade asked rather forcefully. I vaguely remember his name. He was in seventh year.  
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Rosier said icily, glaring in his direction. But there was a trace of relief in her face. I would have been relieved too. It would have been harder to refuse the question if Slughorn had asked.  
I realised with a start that I was interested in this conversation. What was wrong with me? Why did it matter why Jules Rosier was expelled from Beauxbatons or what Rosier’s death eater parents did for a fake living. That was what Slughorn cared about. Not me. I bit my lip angrily. I supposed it was just something about Rosier that had drawn me in.  
“Now Shade. No need to push her. I’m sure what happened with Jules was perfectly reasonable.” Slughorn said, eying both Rosier and Shade warily.  
“Actually.” Shade ploughed on, disregarding Slughorn, “I think I have a right to know. If your sister is dangerous, then I have a right to know.”  
“Don’t you dare.” Rosier snarled, She had put her fork down now, and her and Shade was looking at each other with contempt.  
“Why not?” Another girl jeered. All the other conversations around the table had fallen silent. For a fleeting moment I considered intervening. But it wasn’t worth it. Slughorn hadn’t even said anything yet. In fact Slughorn looked rather too stunned to move. “What you going to do me if I ask you a question?”  
“Because.” Rosier said slowly, her voice calmed again. “Jules earned her place at this school just like you. If she was dangerous, she wouldn’t be here.”  
“But Dumbledore’s kind. There nothing wrong with that of course, but it does mean he might’ve taken pity on her. if you could just tell us the truth—” The girl was cut off. I still couldn’t remember her name. I thought it was incredibly cocky of her to continue on in that manner in the presence of a teacher.  
“Miss Sloper!” Slughorn exclaimed, “That’s quite unnecessary.”  
“But wouldn’t it be better if we knew.” She implored, no doubt hoping to take advantage of his extensive curiosity . But it seemed Slughorn had had enough.  
“No. Clarke is with in her rights to take the secret to her grave if she wants to.” There was a moment of awkward silence, before Slughorn began to interrogate someone else on their personal life.  
Their life was rather more boring than Clarke Rosier’s and it did not take me long to zone out from the conversation. I could help but think back to the furious look on Clarke’s face when Shade had instigated Jules was dangerous. I hadn’t taken her to be a particularly protective sort of person. But then she seemed very different to what I had expected at all. She’d defended Aria Halliday, a Muggleborn Hufflepuff and got a detention for it. That’s certainly unexpected from a Slytherin pureblood. But she was friends with my sister.  
“Are you even paying attention to the conversation Selene?” Holly’s drawling voice came from next to me.  
“No.” I scowled, it was loud enough I the room tat Slughorn wouldn’t hear me. “Is it interesting?”  
“Probably not to you. Blood traitors don’t find things to do with wizards interesting, do they?” She sneered, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.  
“Yeah. I might be a blood traitor, but at least I know hair flicks are over dramatic.” I retorted, unable to help but roll my eyes. Her insults didn’t really affect me anymore. I knew what she thought of me, whether she said it out loud or not. “It didn’t quite have the classy effect you were going for.”  
“Not that you’d know anything of class. The rabble you hang around with.”  
“By god! I’m so hurt.” I swished my hand passed my face in a sarcastic imitation of fanning myself. “All that’s left for you to do is insult my family. Oh wait, you are my family.”  
“You think you’re so smart don’t you Selene. The posh Ravenclaw. Mum and Dad’s favourite. The smart one.” She hissed, the level of her voice rising. It seemed she had forgotten we were at party and surrounded by people. Luckily no one noticed. The last thing I wanted was a show.  
“Look. I’m sorry that was low of me to bring Mum and Dad in.” I said imploringly. I hated fighting with Holly like this because I always lost control and said something I didn’t mean. The way my parents favoured me, even after what happened, well it was unfair, and I could see why Holly didn’t want to talk about it.  
“Damn right it was.” She snapped, and narrowed her eyes. I sighed, she could be so difficult. “Not that I care what they think anyway.”  
“Oh would you stop!” I snapped, my patience shattering. I’d just about had it with her playing the victim. Yeah, her situation sucked, but she didn’t have to go on about it twenty four seven “I don’t have the energy for this. Can there just be one time that we don’t argue?”  
“Oh don’t act like you crave a sisterly relationship now.” Holly sneered at my exasperated tone. “You messed this up.”  
“No I didn’t.” I said quietly, the rage at her incessant need to torment me was still there, but it was fading. “You did have to turn to them.”  
“Turn to who?” She cocked her head lazily to one side as she drawled the words.  
“All your death eater friends. Don’t even pretend you won’t denounce us and join them at the first possible opportunity.” I wasn’t sure if I’d known what the words were before I said them. But it was too late to take them back. Holly’s face fell slack, but to my surprise it was no her who spoke.  
“What?” Rosier’s voice came from my other side. As I turned around, I found her staring disbelievingly at Holly. Her eyes looked sad. Not what I had expected.  
“I wouldn’t! You know I wouldn’t Selene. That was a cruel thing to say.” Holly said frantically, looking imploringly at Rosier, who was now glancing between the two of us, highly confused. “I won’t do that. I’m not a murderer.” Her voice resulted in a scream, I watched as Clarke flinched away. I was just frozen. Oh Merlin what had I done?  
“I never meant to say—”I started, but I realised I had meant it. I’d always believed Holly capable of murder. In fact, I knew she was.  
“Are you okay?” Rosier said warily, looking at Holly, who was forcing back tears. I did feel bad, not awful, but bad enough to say:  
“I’m sorry Holly.” It wasn’t enough. I knew that. But a part of me didn’t care.  
“Of course you are, you’re always sorry.” She pushed back her chair and stormed out without another glance. Slughorn looked up at the slamming of the door.  
“What was that?” he looked rather startled.  
“Oh nothing. My sister just left.” I said, brushing it off, but Sloper was glaring at Rosier again. She seemed to have looked at my sister funny at the wrong time.  
“I’ll just show you Michael.” Slughorn was saying to one Hufflepuff sixth year on his right. “You’ll all be alight here.” He said to the group, it was phrased like a question, yet it was said like a statement.  
No, we won’t be. Sloper appeared delighted. She’d have the perfect opportunity to insult Rosier. I wasn’t sure why I cared so much. AS Slughorn bustled out the back with Michael, she smiled sadistically at Rosier.  
“Scaring more people off, are we?” She said, Rosier, smiled back. But it wasn’t the same kind as Sloper’s. It was strange. She took another large gulp of her drink and looked back at Sloper.  
“Yeah. That’s me. Chief Scarcer.” She said, her voice was slightly wobbled, I frowned.  
Sloper looked confused too, but carried on. “Well, I wanted you to know, and I think a few others agree, just because Slughorn likes you doesn’t mean I do. Your freak sister better stay the hell away from us. Maybe dark magic is normal for you, but it’s not okay around here. You got that Rosier?”  
“Sure.” Rosier nodded lazily, seemly missing the glare on Sloper’s face. “Don’t dark magic anyone. Its not exactly hard is it.”  
“You listening to us Rosier?” Sloper questioned, leaning over the table, closer to Rosier.  
“Not really. Did anyone ever tell you that you are really annoying?” She tilted her head to the side and put on a fake smile for Sloper. “Because you really are.” She lent back in her chair, and waved her hand dismissively at Sloper.  
Oh god, it suddenly hit me, she’s drunk. It was clear Rosier didn’t realise how annoyed Sloper was.  
“I think you should go to bed now.” I said slowly, grabbing Rosier’s arm. She nodded.  
“You have funny hair. Its pretty, very purple.” Was her only reply.  
“We’ll see you in the morning.” I nodded at the bemused crowd looking on. “Or I will anyway.” I doubted Rosier would be rushing down to breakfast. With Rosier looking behind us every few steps, it took us about thirty second to depart from the room and go into an empty corridor.  
“Follow me.” I said sternly to her. She nodded, and I could only hope she was actually listening now.  
“Okay.” She said, for a moment seeming perfectly sober. I walked on, not sure where I was going, only that I wanted to get out of here. I couldn’t take her to the Ravenclaw dorm, and I couldn’t get into the Slytherin one. Unused classroom wasn’t really good enough. I want about to take her to the hospital wing. I only knew that I wanted to go up. Out of the dungeons. I didn’t like how confined it felt down there. I kept glancing behind me to check Rosier was following. Sure enough she was always there.  
Why had I taken her? I mean, I’d never really cared about anyone I didn’t know before. And once I’d seen a really drunk sixth year trying to swim in the lake at one am out my window. I’d never bothered to help anyone like this before. What was so different about Rosier? Ugh. I just need a place for her to rest. For me to get away from my friends for a bit. A need a retreat.  
It was like magic (Of course it was like magic, I’m in a magic school), suddenly, to my right, there was a door. I could have sworn it was not there a moment ago. I narrowed my eyes at it , sceptical. I supposed going in wouldn’t do any harm. Rosier followed me inside, and I let out a gasp despite myself. Inside was a small room, in Hogwarts terms, it was filled with two beds in the centre, and a dinning table set for two adorned one wall. On the east, at least I thought it was east, wall was a cabinet that held books and what looked like a hangover tonic. I smiled. This room was perfect. Now wasn’t the time to question how it had come to me, no matter how curious I was.  
“Oh god.” Rosier exclaimed, looking rather happy. She leapt forwards, practically, and collapsed onto the bed. I sighed, and sat on the one next to her.  
“Why did you let yourself get this drunk?” I complained, more to myself than Rosier, who was now sat up and leant against the pillow. “Why do I care?”  
“Fire whiskey tastes nice. Slughorn shouldn’t have put it out.” She shrugged. “As for the second one, I’m not inside your brain. I don’t know.”  
“Oh right.” I said, my voice distant. I hadn’t really expected a reply.  
“Its nice that you have. I don’t think anyone else would have. Well maybe Aria would.” She said, her voice dreamy. But I was interested.  
“Halliday?”  
“Oh yeah. I mean, we’ve not known each other for long, but I feel like when you’re spying on a teacher together, you get close quickly. She’s a nice person too.”  
“What?” I said, pronouncing each syllable. They were spying on a teacher? “Which teacher?”  
“Rosewood. She’s clearly up to something. Can’t tell anyone of course. Top secret ‘cause we’d probably get expelled or whatever.” I barely noticed how drunk Rosier sounded. Or how she clearly hadn’t mean to tell me. My brain was too wrapped up in the whole ‘Secret Rosewood up to something’ part of her ramblings. I mean, she’d seemed alright to me, but she did seem the type.  
“What do you mean?” I blurted, furiously curious to know more. I instantly regretted saying it. I was taking advantage of the fact she didn’t know what she was saying, which was rude and cruel.  
“She’s a bad person. Just like my ‘parents’.” She said the word with such loathing I recoiled. Oh merlin, I hadn’t meant to take the conversation in this direction.  
“You don’t have to—” I began, but it was too late.  
“With their pureblood bullshit, spewing nonsense for Jules to eat right up. Its their fault, everything that’s happened, its their fault. They poisoned her, it never would have happened. Jules wouldn’t have done it. I wouldn’t have these problems. I want to tell them to stop, but they hate me enough already. I don’t have anywhere to go, I can’t let them hate me more. I’d kill them if I could. Do you think that makes me a bad person?” her voice had faded from angry to sad. I felt my heart sink. I’d been so judgemental of her, I’d never considered the fact that she might feel differently to her parents. Ugh, stupid brain, I chided myself. I didn’t know how to reply. I supposed wanted to kill someone did make you bad, but then again, if they really are that awful. No, it was too late for moral dilemmas.  
“I couldn’t really say.” I replied softly. “But I don’t think you are Rosier.”  
“Clarke.” She said rather forcefully. I was confused for a moment but then I realised she was asking me to call her Clarke.  
“Okay.” I nodded. “Clarke.” I liked the way it sounded on my tongue. “You can call me Selene. Do you want to go to sleep?”  
I’d never been drunk, so I didn’t really understand how she was feeling, or what best to do. Sleep seemed the most logical option.  
“Not good with sleep.” Clarke shook her head. “I’ll try though.” She shuffled down into the sheets. I turned away, not really sure what to do now either. I guess I could try and sleep, but my mind was so awake with thoughts. Clarke Rosier’s true nature, and more shockingly, the revelations abut Rosewood. Granted they were drunken ravings, but there was something in it surely? I mean, she’s certainly mysterious, and Clarke wasn’t just making these things up.  
But I couldn’t do anything about that now. So I let sleep claim me. I’d deal with this mess in the morning.


	8. Something New

Chapter 7  
Aria’s PoV  
The common room is always too busy on Sunday nights. I’m not really sure why, but it seems to be a congregation time for the Hufflepuffs. So I come up here, to my dorm, to get away from it all. Too many people in a place at once makes me feel claustrophobic. Besides, I wanted to open that file. I hadn’t got around to it yet. I mean, on the night I had stolen it, it had been late, and Layla was with me, after that, well I’d always been with someone, or unable to face it.   
Maybe it seems stupid that I couldn’t open an envelope. I mean, what’s the worst it could say? Probably that I’m the daughter of two muggles like I thought or whatever. Or it might say nothing at all. I suppose it was likely Hogwarts knew nothing more of my past than the orphanage I live in. But, some part of me feels Hogwarts, as my true home, will know the truth.  
I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking, however gently, as I unfolded the paper in my hands. Even if it was a disappointing truth, it was my truth all the same. Giving up on the slow reveal, I quickly pulled out the paper, and held it up to the light.  
It stated my name, age and date of birth. All of which I already knew. Aria Halliday (?) 15 and 30th of January. Past that it said that I attended Hogwarts and I lived at Carter Orphanage. But I knew all that too. The sheet certainly didn’t have as much information as I had hoped. But nevertheless, it still stated who my parents were at the bottom of the sheet.  
Mother: Harper Halliday (Muggleborn)  
Father: Unknown  
Notes: Expected half-blood.  
Half-blood. The word seemed to positively radiated off the page. I had no idea why they would suspect that, but it was there in writing. I wasn’t Muggleborn. In fact, my mother had been a witch. I just wouldn’t have counted, because she was Muggleborn herself. But more exciting, the more beautiful fact of the two, was that I had a name. My mother had a name. My surname wasn’t a thing of the shadows like I had once thought. I was grounded and real and it had a base. In my mother. It suddenly didn’t matter that she hadn’t been there, my bottled up anger at my real parents seemed to dissipate in moments.  
I tore off the corner off the paper with my mother’s name on it, the sound ripping at my ears. Shoving the rest of the paper into my bag, seeing as it was useless, I gleefully leapt to my feet. I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t plan on leaving the common room, but I just wanted to get up. Maybe I could face down stairs.  
In all truth I wanted to see Clarke. Since our last meeting, I’d missed talking to her. Granted I hadn’t known her long, and I wasn’t one to make friends fast, but she’d been here. For some strange reason, that meant something. I sighed, leaning against the tapestry on my wall. My shoulder falling uncomfortable onto a lump. Cursing, I pushed off it. When I turned around, the wall was gone.  
I literally mean, there was a giant hole in it. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust and realise that in fact, the tapestry had swung inwards. A passage had opened and where it went, I couldn’t say, it was dark but looked about tall enough to stand in. My heart leap in excitement. I couldn’t say I was particularly surprised, Hogwarts was full of things like that. But it had been in my common room, for five years! And I’d only just noticed—disgraceful. I wondered if it was a button or a word you had to say. I assumed button seeing as the only word I had said was a swear word that probably wasn’t around in the founders time.  
Of course! What my shoulder had caught on must be the button. I supposed we never really came over to the tapestry in the corner. It had always been strange, and never seemed to depict anything. I peered closer at the wall, sure enough, there was a small marking around a wooden part of the wall, that was now pushed deeper into the stone that coated it. This passage, it was too good of an opportunity to miss. There was no way in all hell I wasn’t going down it. Besides, if it got light enough at any stage, then we might be able to meet in here. All depending on where it comes out excreta.  
Venturing in, I ducked to avoid the ceiling. It wasn’t difficult to climb in, as the tapestry was low on the wall. Hesitantly, I stood open and walked forwards, the tapestry did not swing shut behind me to my relief. I’d read about doors that did that too many times to have not considered it to be a possibility.  
“Lumos.” I murmured, and the passage was flooded with light. It seemed dusty, but was not full of cobwebs or any of the like you might expect. Nevertheless, it looked like no one had been in there for a long time, it steadied downwards in a steep slope as far as I could see, so I began my trek.  
Several minutes later, it came to a cavern, it was the size of an average dormitory, rather larger than anywhere else in the passage. My eyes flicked around the cavernous space. Some of the walls were lined with wood, and there was a desk on one side of it. No paper or anything for that matter in sight. A desk chair was tucked underneath it. I rummaged though the draws hurriedly, and yielded nothing, to my dismay. I supposed it had been cleared out when whoever had put it there vacated. It was squeaky and old.  
There was another way out of the cavern, that was not the way I had come. As I made toward it, I noticed my wand was not the only object to be illuminating the cavern. There was a rock in the corner, it rather looked like rose quartz, that seemed to be emitting a faint glow. I waved at it foolishly, As if that would do anything. Its light was unwavering. I grinned, this space was made for us to practice in. if only I could get Nat and Clarke into the Hufflepuff common room. Well, I reasoned, there is no reason this passage shouldn’t come out somewhere more accessible. In a way I hoped it didn’t. While it was unlikely the marauders knew about it due to the lack of use, if it emerged in an accessible place, there was a chance they might.  
Thrusting my wand forth into the darkness, and I headed on. It looked the same as the other tunnel. Some walls had wood on them, it was not damp or mossy as you might have expected, but quite as warm as the rest of the school. I was walking for a good five minutes before it came to an end. The door looked much like the one on my side, the back of a tapestry. I raised my hand to push it open, but at the last moment flinched away. I realised I had no idea where that came out. I could come out in someone else’s dorm for all I knew. So like an idiot, I knocked.  
The sounded echoed down the tunnel, and I pressed my ear to the back of the tapestry in anticipation. Voices came from the other side.  
“What was that?” I instantly knew who the voice belonged to: Maya Flint. She hated me, mainly because I was Muggleborn. Ha! I thought, Well I’m not really am I.  
“it was probably nothing Maya.” A tired voice called back, Rory Lestrange this time.  
“I don’t care. I told you I should be up here on Sunday, I’m waiting with Morgan.” She retorted, sounding annoyed. I could here Rory’s sigh as the door slammed.  
So this came out in the Slytherin dorm. Clarke’s dorm. My wanted to see her almost made me s=push the door open, but I hurriedly realised she was still at the slug club. I swore underneath my breath and headed back down the passage.  
This was wonderful. We had somewhere to meet, I was sure there was a way to sneak Nat in. It also meant I could see Clarke whenever I wanted. This was brilliant. The passage was probably created by some students who had wanted to see each other out side of school hours. I couldn’t help but grin to myself as I passed thought he large space, and back into my side of the passageway.  
When I finally creeped back into my dorm, no one was there yet. I made a point of shutting the door tightly. I couldn’t have Layla finding it, that’d be a disaster. I wanted to sleep, for tomorrow to come so I could talk to Clarke, but no such luck. Sleep was not coming easy tonight.  
***  
The next day, Clarke wasn’t at breakfast. As the Hufflepuff table was next to the Gryffindor one, it had been easy enough to make eye contact with Natalia and signal her to make her excuses. I told Layla and Julian I wasn’t hungry, and quickly followed her out of the hall. We walked for some time, she seemed to be leading the way. I made sure to stay a safe distance back, and Nat a safe distance in front. Finally, we reached a deserted corridor and she pulled me aside.  
“What is it?” She asked bluntly, but her features easily betrayed her curiosity.   
“I found a place for us to meet.” The words came out to fast and I had to take a breath. “Sort of.”  
“Sort of?” She repeated, raising a questioning eyebrow.  
“Well, I found a passage way, with a big space to talk and all… but you can only reach it from my dorm and Clarke’s dorm.” Natalia’s expression went quickly from elated to infuriated.  
“What do you mean? Only your dorms. What are the chances of that happening huh?” She snapped, looking angry. “Look if this is some kind of elaborate joke—”  
“its not!” I exclaimed, angry myself now. “I don’t have that kind of sense of humour. I’m not the marauders. Anyway, the chances aren’t actually that slim. Hogwarts has been around a long time. I’m sure there are countless secrets that no one living even knows about. All we need is a way to get you in, and we’re sorted.”  
“Yeah. Okay fair enough. But how are we going to get me in? I can’t exactly stroll up to your dorm every few days.”  
“I’m working on it. Once we’ve told Clarke, speaking of which, where the hell is, she, we can meet again once someone’s figured it out.” I summarised, feeling quite pleased with myself. This was all going rather well.  
“Yeah. Okay. Where is Clarke? I didn’t see her at breakfast.”  
“Yeah neither did I.” I muttered, downcast. Really, we needed to tell her and explain.  
“Well she can’t be far. She got a bit drunk last night, I think. She left early. I was sat at the other end of the table, so I didn’t really see.” Natalia frowned, “We have lessons soon, so we haven’t much time.”  
“I suppose I could tell her in Transfiguration. We’re all in that lesson, together right?” I mused, but not all to happily. I’d much rather tell Clarke sooner.  
“Yeah. Maybe we’ll just bump into her.”  
I snorted. “Its unlikely. I can’t see Clarke walking down a deserted corridor at breakfast.”  
“I can.” The voice that spoke was not Natalia. I swore, and Natalia spun around. I hasted to copy, and my eyes fell upon a particularly tired looking Selene Fawley.  
“How do you know Clarke?” I asked, confused. It took a moment for panic to take over. In my shock, I hadn’t realised that she had over heard us talking about being friends with Clarke. Oh god, how much had she overheard.  
“I don’t really. But she’s in here with a nasty hangover if you guys want to see her. No need to look so worried. I’m sure your talking about the Rosewood thing. I already know. Just come in.” She shook her head at our shocked faces, and gestured at the wall. Not even questioning that lack of a door, I followed her wordlessly over. She muttered something under her breath, and slowly but surely, a door materialised before us. She turned the shinning handle, that looked brand new, and headed inside. On her heels, I contemplated if I was surprised or not at the door. Given how calm I was about it, and recent events, I supposed I wasn’t really at all shocked. My shock had been absorbed by the fact that Selene Fawley knew Clarke. Or didn’t know her. Or whatever was happening.  
Inside the room were two beds, and a table at the foot of one of them. On one wall was a bookcase, but other than that the room was empty. There were not doors around the room. Clarke was stood, looking as Selene had said, ridiculously hungover. She gave a shy wave, her eyelids slowly closing. I waved back, thinking it best to leave her for now. I needed answers. Natalia seemed to be on the same thought line.  
“What is this place?” Natalia breathed as Selene placed food on the table. I hadn’t even noticed she was carrying it.  
“I don’t know. It seems to provide you with whatever you want. Expect food is outside its limits. I’ve tried to find something on it in books, but I’m stumped. I’m assuming you guys want an explanation, so sit.” She waved her hand, and four chairs appeared at the table. I accredited the magic to the room and not her. the table was easily big enough for all four, and she and I took a seat at once. Clarke shuffled over and followed suit, but she instantly put her head on the table, trying to block the light from her eyes. Natalia looked at the recently summoned chair apprehensively, but eventually took a seat.   
“So Clarke is clear way to hungover to explain. So I will. Things got a bit out of hand at Slughorn’s party last night…” She began to explain everything that had happened. How Clarke had accidentally got drunk. How people had been slinging insults about her sister. How she’d come back to here. Apparently, Clarke had rambled about Rosewood while she was drunk. Selene hadn’t wanted to pry but when Clarke woke up, she’d asked her about it. Clarke had explained what they were doing, I noticed Selene made a point of saying she was more alert earlier. “I think the hangover has caught up on her. I know everything. And I heard your conversation from before. All of it. And Clarke and I have already settled that I’m involved now. I’d like to help. I don’t know what Rosewood’s doing, but I know – damaging—magic can be. Whatever she’s doing, she can’t get away with it.”  
Selene’s face looked earnest. I had no reason to believe she wasn’t being sincere. Oh if only I knew Legilimency, I thought, annoyed. Then I’d be able to check if what she was saying was real. I had no reason to believe she would run to Rosewood. Her sister was a bitch, but as far as I could tell, the two hated each other.  
“She’s telling the truth.” Clarke nodded, I noticed Natalia looking at her sceptically.  
“She’s not drunk anymore dumbass.” I scowled, and she recoiled a little, looking abashed.  
“I don’t really know how hangovers work…” She admitted sheepishly.  
“Eh.” I dismissed it, I hadn’t expected her to. “They suck a lot. But she knows what she’s talking about. She’s just got a headache.”  
“How would you know?” Selene retorted, looking at me disbelieving me.  
“You can get anything from the Hogshead. Or the kitchens for that matter.” I shrugged. “I stock up.”  
“Aria!” Natalia exclaimed.  
“What? You can’t stop me. You’re not my mother.” I replied, slightly irritated. “Its not like I drink a lot anyway.”  
“Well I’m sure your mother wouldn’t exactly be pleased.” She scowled, but her voice was more light-hearted. I hadn’t told anyone here that my parents were dead, and I wasn’t about to start with Natalia, so I shrugged. Nevertheless, I felt my hand slip into my pocket, closing around the slip of paper there that I knew my mothers name was on.  
“Oh stop bickering.” Clarke snapped. She was looking up now, still trying to shield the light from her eyes. “Can someone please tell about this meeting place? Because I thought where we are now would be good.”  
I explained what I had found, and Clarke face lit up.  
“That’s brilliant.” She exclaimed, seeming perfectly normal for a moment. “Maybe we can use here until we find a way to tunnel out to the other dorms.”  
“What?” Natalia said, Selene jumped, and I blinked furiously in Clarke’s direction. Tunnel where now?  
“Oh, surely you had the same thought. It won’t be hard with magic. I’m sure there is a way to control bombarda. If we could just get a map of the school or something that told us where we are. It wouldn’t be hard. I mean, it goes downwards to get to the dungeons, surely we can make it go up?” When I thought it over, it seemed like sound logic.  
“That actually seems, pretty valid.” Selene said, nodding slowly as she considered it. I couldn’t help but keep a grin from erupting on my face. This really was brilliant.  
“Oh god!” Selene exclaimed suddenly. “We’ve missed half of first period.”  
I swore and leapt to my feet.  
“Meet back here, at night to be safe. Err lets say midnight on Thursday. See you then.” I rushed from the door without waiting for a reply. The last thing I needed was to be in more trouble.

This isn't edited so... sorry...


	9. The Tunnel

Chapter 8  
Natalia’s PoV

The rest of the week disappeared relatively quickly. I was busy with the preposterous amount of homework set that I barely saw the other. Since I’d started this friendship, if that’s what you’d call it, Marlene and Lily had seem more distance. Not in their actions, but in mine. I guess they’d always just been my friends because they were there. Now I didn’t need them to stay sane. I saw Clarke in potions of course, as we still sat together. I was also coincidentally partnered with Selene in Charms the other day, which was a pleasant surprise. Izzy had also been quiet recently. She’d made friends with two first year Gryffindor boys, and a Ravenclaw girl. I was glad that she had friends, but she did seem to be avoiding me. I couldn’t help but think it had something to do with what had happened with Camille and the wandless magic. Not that I was worried. I wasn’t worried, was I?  
I sighed, I’d been reading to keep myself awake. Aria, Selene and Clarke might have no trouble staying up, but I needed sleep to function. Glancing at the clock, I noticed it was five minutes until midnight. Mental, I swore, and slipped of the side o my bed. I was changed into my normal clothes anyhow. I hadn’t seen any point in putting pyjamas on just to go out. Careful not to wake Lily or any of the others in my dorm, I tiptoed from the room. The door closing slowly behind me.  
As I moved as silently as I could down the stairs and into the common room, I noticed voices growing louder. At first, I thought I was just paranoid. I’d never snuck out alone before, even then, it had just been once in first year with the whole dorm. But they were growing more prominent, and I recognised one. James Potter. It was no surprise he would be out of bed. Sure enough, when I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw all four of them there. Remus Lupin, looking bedraggled and tried as usual, Peter Pettigrew, his squeaky voice echoing, Sirius Black, who appeared to be pouring over an old piece of parchment, and James Potter, who was looking around suspiciously. I froze. Had he heard me, or worse, seen me. How was I supposed to explain where I was going? Natalia Wintre did not just go for a walk at midnight.  
“Could have sworn I saw something.” James muttered, sitting back down. Ah, he was paranoid, he was looking in the wrong direction to have seen me. I pressed into the shadows, edging forwards. They only had a small light on, which by no means illuminated the whole common room. It was very easy for me to slip past unnoticed. The problem was opening the portrait. I was fairly confident I’d get away with it, seeing as the fat lady was very far away from where they were sat.  
“No one moved James.” Remus sighed.  
“Yeah. Okay.”  
“We can always check the map if there anyone here. It’s just us.” The what now? I tried to squint at what they were looking at. How could some map show who was in the common room, and why would I not show up on it. Whatever it was. Frustration pulsed though me, ugh if only I could just see. Risking it, I shuffled forwards, but I instantly regretted it.  
“Us, and Natalia Wintre.” James said pointedly. Crap. “Come out!” He called, looking in the complete opposite direction of me. I grinned, I could play stupid, pretend I hadn’t seen this map. Then I could find out what it was.  
“Sorry.” I muttered., purposely looking shameful as I came into the light. I wasn’t a very good actor, but I reckoned I could put it on for a bit.  
“What are you doing?” James snarled. “What did you hear?”  
“Merlin James, calm down.” Remus sighed, also standing up.  
“I haven’t heard anything.” I put my hands up in a gesture of hopelessness, “I just go for walks sometimes. When I can’t sleep.”  
“What time?” He said, his voice was sharp, but not so vicious as the first time.  
“Later, it depends when I wake up. I’ve never seen you before. I’m not lying. Look I don’t care what you’re doing and I’m to going to rat you out, so can I please leave?” I scowled, looking at the four of them in turn.  
“Fine.” James muttered, looking slightly disappointed.  
I shook my head, and swept from the room as quickly as I could manage, the portrait swinging open with ease for me. I’d barely taken two steps on the landing before I fell head first into another person. I flinched away quickly, my heart racing. I instantly thought it was a teacher. But as I looked down, I noticed it was in fact no other than Izzy.  
“What the hell?” I yelped, stepping back.  
If she was surprised to see me in turn, she didn’t show it. “Hello.” She said coolly.  
“Hello?” I repeated, incredulously. “What are you doing out here?”  
“I go for walks when I can’t sleep.” She replied, with no hesitation. I sighed, there was a reason I had used that excuse. People in my family had a history of awful sleep patterns, luckily, I seemed to have missed it. It wasn’t very hard to believe.  
“Oh okay. Sorry. Same.”  
“Ah, you finally caught the family sleeping pattern.” She offered a smile. “Did you see the marauders inside?”  
“Yeah, why?” I asked, suddenly intrigued, if she knew about the map…  
“They normally meet there every few nights, always the last the common room. I think they prefer it to their dorm. Anyway, you know the map they have? Did you see it?” I nodded, and she grinned. “Oh good, I’ve been dying to tell someone. I got right up close behind them one, while they were looking at it. Not at the common room or anything. But I shows people, everyone in the school, what they’re doing at all times! Its brilliant. And Potter has an invisibility cloak, but I think they’ve made the map. How cool is that?”  
“Brilliant!” I exclaimed, an idea occurring to me. “That is absolutely brilliant.”  
“Isn’t it just. You have to I solemnly swear I’m up to no good to open it, and mischief managed to close it. I’ll see you Nat.” And she was gone. Instantly I started won the stairs, a grin breaking out on my face. If we could get that map… it would be easy to tunnel across the school with breaking anything. I knew the way exactly, having memorised it over the last few days, I was barely a hall away when my eyes caught onto Selene, she was walking along silently in the shadows. I grinned and hurried forwards, careful not to make any noise. I caught up with her only metres before the door.  
“Selene.” I murmured, she spun, and her hand hit against the wall. She cursed loudly and grabbed my hand without warning. Before I could comprehend what was happening to me, I was being pulled inside a near by broom cupboard. The door shut quietly behind us and though the cracks of light from the gap under the door, I vaguely saw Selene put a finger to her lips. I wasn’t sure why we had to spirt away at first, but then I heard a voice resounding that I recognised.  
“I still don’t know why I should trust you.” It was clearly Rosewoods voice, it rung loud and clear against the corridor. The reply was muffled and difficult to make out, but it sounded like a female voice. And unlike what Clarke and Aria had said, it was definitely present inside the school walls. I tried to mouth something to Selene, before realising we were plunged into darkness.  
“Still, its not enough reason. What I’m doing isn’t child’s play, and frankly, that’s all you are. A child.” Rosewood’s voice rang out again. So it was a student. That was—unexpected.  
The muffled voice sounded again. It was clear the student was whispering, almost like they knew someone was there.  
“I suppose I have no choice, do I?” Rosewood sighed, her footsteps were droning away now. Growing fainter, soon the voices would be gone altogether, I wasn’t as though we could follow them. If only we had Potter’s invisibility cloak now, I thought desperately. Get close enough o find out who she was talking to. Both their voices became muffled from then on. It seemed to be a silent agreement between Selene and I that we wait a minute after they had gone to emerge. No doubt she was as paranoid as I was that someone was outside the door.  
When we did open it however, the corridor was empty. I glanced at her and we both hurried off down the corridor, eager to tell the other what we had seen. The door appeared much like it had the first time as we reached the right part of the corridor, and I followed Selene inside. This time the inside was different, it was filled with bookshelves, they lined the walls, and a table with several chairs around it was in the middle of the room, it was bigger than before too I noticed. Clarke and Aria were sat next to each other on the far table, and had both looked up upon our entry. AS the door fell shut behind us, Aria leap to her feet.  
“Where have you two been?” She exclaimed, seeming slightly annoyed. Clarke had raised an eyebrow, but not jump up or anything so drastic.  
“Selene made a noise and we had to hide in a cupboard, but you’ll never guess what we over heard.” I said, my voice raising in excitement towards the end. We all sat down, Aria retaking her seat last, and Selene and I relayed the story as it happened.  
“We were right!” Clarke said, seeming very triumphant, from the doubtful expression that had been gracing her face the last few times we’d met she had been unsure if this was just some fantasy. I had to confess I had to, but now I was sure.  
“Yeah, we were.” Selene muttered darkly, not quite seeming as excited.  
“Anyway, guys. We called with meeting to talk about how to meet up. We can’t keep sneaking out here. So we have to expand the tunnels to do it. I think I might have an idea.” I said, all in one breath. Trying not to cough, I looked around hopefully.  
“Well go on then?” Selene prompted somewhat impatiently, I did. I told them about how I knew about the marauder’s map, and what it did. I left out the part about Izzy, claiming I had over heard what she had instead. I did tell them she had told me about the invisibility cloak. I was pretty sure there was a rumour he had one anyhow, so I doubted that would be particularly surprising to anyone.  
“If we had the map,” I explained, “We’d be able to see where we were in tunnels, as it shows where everyone is. We wouldn’t accidentally tunnel into the wrong place. Aria and Clarke would have to do it of course. And, if we could get it anyway, that’d be brilliant, think of the additional thing we could do with that map and the invisibility cloak. We’d have to steal it, which I’m still figuring out how to do, but I do know they’ll be in the common room at midnight a week today.”  
“That’s—genius Natalia.” Aria said blinking, she looked impressed. I felt myself blush. Selene was nodding enthusiastically. “if we could get that map. Everything would be so much easy. Oh this is great. I wasn’t actually expecting us to be able to do it.” Only Clarke was silent. She’d slipped out of her chair and was pacing slowly.  
“What is it?” I asked, confusion washing over me. What was wrong with the idea?  
“Nothings wrong.” She said, like she could read my mind. “But I think I might know how we can get the map off the marauders.” She looked up and grinned. “Yes. I’ve got it. First, we’ll need to get James Potter’s cloak, but after that, it’s easy enough.”

***

Easy enough it was, but getting James Potter’s cloak on the other hand, proved excessively difficult. Clarke explained her plan to us fairly quickly. After that we just spent several more minutes figuring out the logistics and then about a half hour just talking. It was nice to converse with people who I considered friends of opportunity and not necessity. The next Wednesday had come around now, which was the night we had decided to execute the plan on. We had met up again on Sunday, and it turned out Wednesday was another night the marauders lurked in the common room at unhealthy hours. Plus, Clarke had quidditch training on Thursday, and then yet another detention with Rosewood, which she had got for not paying attention. (“I was!” She insisted. “The woman has it out for me.”).  
Which was how I, being the most ‘ goody two shoes one’ – a label I certainly wasn’t fond of—telling filch about how the marauders were planning to sneak out of the castle via a passage way we’d seen them going in. He’d be waiting for them outside and James’s would be forced to leave the cloak in the passage way. Meaning we would have free reign to take it and execute Clarke’s plan tonight.  
He’d eaten my lie right up and run off straight away. Clarke made eye contact with me over dinner, our signal she’d retrieved it. Now it was just a waiting game. I sat at the top of the girls stairs, waiting for the common room to clear. At around half eleven, it was just the marauders who remained. I didn’t expect the others to arrive until twelve, so now I just had to wait. And stall the marauders if they tried to leave. Which I currently didn’t have a plan for.  
Luckily, the marauders stayed put. Natalia twisted the ring in her hand which belonged to Clarke, she had to wait until she saw the portrait open a crack, then she would throw it to distract the marauders. If all went according to plan, none of them would see Clarke but Sirius, who was the only one facing the door. Two minutes after midnight, according to my watch, The portrait opened a crack. I’d given Aria and Clarke the password, and Aria Gryffindor robes. Turning it over in my hand one last time, I let the emerald ring fly. My aim was surprisingly good, and it hit the wall, making a loud pinging noise. In the silence of the common room, all four marauders leapt to their feet. James had already started off towards the sound, Pettigrew was slower on his feet, but his back was to the door, and Remus had merely cast a lazy head towards the noise.  
The portrait swung open on Clarke’s command, and I saw her silhouette enter the dimly lit room. I edged a few steps down, knowing the marauders would not be able to see me. James was still investigating the noise, while Sirius, who had been quite still before, locked eyes with Clarke.  
“You!” He yelped indignantly, and stepped toward her. I marvelled at how quickly Aria managed to get the cloak over the two of them. No doubt they had spent time practicing this afternoon. After we’d been trailing the marauders for a week, I was no longer surprised by the swiftness and utter effectiveness the cloak worked.  
It seemed James was quick on the uptake as well, he had abandoned his search at Sirius’ cry, and dashed across the room to his side. Sirius was still pointed open mouthed at where Clarke had been.  
“She was right there…” He spluttered disbelievingly. “Rosier. The older one.” I couldn’t help but grin.  
“Moony come over here!” James shouted, now two frowning at where Clarke had been. They had left the map quite unattended on the table. Now none of them were even stood near it, I watched as the map seemed to levitate in the air, and then disappear from sight. That was my que.  
“What are you all gawking at?” I drawled, sounding quite unlike myself. Remus looked around first, still only looking mildly inquisitive, James and Sirius still seemed transfixed by Clarke. He muttered something to Sirius, who nodded his assent and they both looked up at me.  
“What do you want Wintre?” He spat, sounding annoyed and tired.  
“Just passing thought.” I shrugged. “Why do you all look like someone’s broken in?”  
“Because someone has broken in!” Sirius blurted angrily, before clapping a hand over his mouth.  
“What?” I said, doing my best to look confused. But this was the plan. We were directing the blame onto Clarke. It had been her idea, she knew that Sirius didn’t like her sister, because she was spending a lot of time with his brother, so Clarke was be easy for the marauders to pin the blame on. It wasn’t as though we had the luxury of time to brew Polyjuice of anything. Anyway, the marauders were only unfortunate enough to be the possessors of useful instruments. They weren’t doing anything that was possibly illegal. Well – that might be debatable, but nothing illegal I cared about. It wasn’t worth setting up an elaborate frame up, seeing as they wanted to keep their map a secret and weren’t about to go around telling everyone Clarke was a thief. From the amount of people who disliked the marauders, this was actually more likely to make her popular than hated.  
“I just saw Clarke Rosier. She was stood at the door. She threw something, then she saw me and spooked.” He announced boldly, sounding profoundly sure of himself. I fought a scowl.  
“Really?” I said, trying to sound mildly impressed.  
“Yeah.” He said defensively.  
“Well she does seem the type.” I pretended to ponder, “But what could she have wanted.”  
“Beats me.” James said, speaking for the first time. He still seemed pretty dumbfounded. If only they knew.  
“Ah well, I think I’m quite tired after all. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that I strode back up the stairs, feeling rather pleased with myself and my newfound friends.  
We had already arranged the places at which the tunnels would emerge. Selene’s in her dorm, and mine on the landing just outside it. I had to wait just outside my dorm so that I could cast the spell to lock the tapestry unless you spoke the words you needed to. Which were currently anti-Rosewood HQ, but we planned on changing them.  
Sure enough an hour later, there was a small bang, it wouldn’t have woken anyone, the marauders had vacated the common room and the other dorms were too far up. I grinned up as the crumbling stone, which fell away to reveal Clarke and Aria, grinning.  
“Evanesco.” I muttered, pointing my wand idly at the debris. It vanished, and Clarke hefted the tapestry we had stolen from our temporary headquarters down to me. Muttering the correct incantation, I sealed it into place.  
“Anti-Rosewood HQ.” I said under my breath, and it swung open so forcefully I had to jump back. I gave Clarke a smile, and shut it again. Finally, Hogwarts was becoming what I had been promised it would be.


	10. Revelations

Chapter 9  
Clarke’s PoV  
The new passageways certainly proved useful. We were yet to think of a better phrase, but it was only the day after they had been installed. The marauders map was located safely in my bag, and I’d placed an anti-summoning charm on it, to prevent the marauders from getting it. I had been waiting all day for them to launch an attack on me, demanding what was theirs. I mean, I’d volunteered for this – sure, but I wasn’t looking forwards to it. I’d tried my best to not be on edge around Morgan and Holly. After Slughorn’s party, Holly had explained to me that her and Selene didn’t get on, and Selene had admitted to me that she hadn’t been thinking when she accused Holly of being a death eater. She hadn’t brought up the Rory thing, nor had I expected her to. Still, I was curious.  
“I swear!” I heard Sirius Black’s exasperated voice cry as I headed towards dinner on Thursday evening. I’d just had my first quidditch training, as chaser. I preferred it at Hogwarts to Beauxbatons, the people were nicer. “I saw her. She was literally in the common room.” He sounded annoyed, like he’d been stressing this for a long time.  
“I know Sirius, I do, but you can’t just chare up to her and demand it back—” Lupin’s protesting voice was cut off. It seemed they had seen me.  
“Rosier!” Potter shouted, I scowled and spun around. Morgan frowned at me, and also turned around. Holly had already disappeared into the crowds.  
“What?” I said bluntly, knowing exactly why they were there.  
“I know you took it.” Potter snarled so vehemently I recoiled. My genuine shock must have portrayed on my face, and I used it to my advantage.  
“W-what do you mean?” I stammered, looking between the few of them hopelessly.  
“You were there. You distracted us, and I know you took it!” he hissed, I raised a brow this time.  
“Is this some sort of practical joke?” I said, letting out a dry laugh.  
“No its—”  
“James.” Lupin warned, “If she doesn’t know—”  
“Oh she does. Padfoot saw her, didn’t you?” He looked to Black for support.  
“Oh yeah. I definitely did.”  
“I don’t know where you think I was or what I supposedly stole, but I’d like to eat now I thank you.” I said waspishly, and made to turn around.  
“No!” Potter protested, the corridor had cleared now, it was just them and Morgan and I remaining.  
“Can’t you just leave her alone.” Morgan scowled at him. “Come on Clarke.” She nodded to me and we stormed off together. I could here Potter’s complaints as we entered the hall.  
“What did he want?” She asked, raising a brow.  
“Hell if I know.” I muttered in reply, we sat down opposite Holly, who looked ridiculously tired.  
“I feel like I haven’t slept for days!” She complained, her face falling into her hands.  
“You’ve had a consistent six hours sleep every night.” Morgan replied, humour dancing in her voice.  
“Well I need a solid ten. Eight at the least.” Holly snapped in reply, lifting her head back up. I snorted, I’d probably had about six hours across the last three nights. And I had another detention with Rosewood tonight. I resisted a groan. Morgan seemed to read my mind.  
“It’ll be fine. She’ll have run out of files for you to sort by now.” Morgan assured me, but I raised an eyebrow.  
“So God knows what she’ll have me do instead.” I replied, annoyance seeping into my voice despite my best efforts to withhold it. “She hates me! I don’t know what I ever did to her…” I trailed off, defeated by my own train of thought.  
“Eh, she’s just a nuisance. She doesn’t hate you.” Holly waved it off, but Morgan looked more suspicious.  
“I don’t know Holly. She seems pretty dodgy to me.”  
“Yeah—” I began, but quickly closed my mouth. As much as I wanted to tell them what I was doing, I couldn’t really get anyone else involved nor could I betray the confidence of Selene and the others. But Rory Lestrange had come up behind Holly, and her and Morgan had barely noticed my mishap. Rory was sporting pink hair this time around, and it was longer, in a swishing ponytail behind her. I couldn’t help but think she looked rather beautiful in her own simplistic way.  
“What do you want Lestrange?” Holly snapped.  
“I have a message for Clarke, if you don’t mind.” She said testily to Holly and turned her gaze to me. “Rosewood wants you to come earlier, as she had ‘other engagements later’ so she’s expecting you at six. I know that sucks I’m sorry.” She shrugged indifferently, but her face did seem pitiful. I smiled bitterly. If it was anyone other than Rory who had delivered the message, I might have been suspicious.  
My mind was instantly drawn to what Rosewood’s other engagements might be. No doubt she was talking to the student she was in league with. I bit my lip, glancing at my watch. 5:50.  
“I better go.” I said, jumping back, barely thinking of the uneaten food I’d been keen to eat moments ago, my mind lost in the web of whatever Rosewood was doing.

Nothing happened, unfortunately, at my detention. Rosewood didn’t do anything strange apart from let me go early. At around nine o’clock. Normally she made me stay until late, because like I said, she hated me. It was only lines now she had run out of files for me to sort. Still it was annoying, and my arm ached.  
I had another meeting with the others tonight, in our new found headquarters. I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a spy movie or something as I pushed the door open. It was eleven o’clock and the others were either still downstairs or asleep. I was in the clear. After several minutes of walking, I reached the centre. Aria had hefted a sofa, which she had transfigured into needle to transport it, into the room, and a bookshelves, no doubt also transfigured, from the old room. I flopped down onto the sofa that was there, next to Natalia. Aria was still not there, and Selene was sat opposite me on the chair.  
“It wasn’t that hard to get into actually.” She was saying, her face hosting a brooding expression. “I wonder where Aria is?”  
“I’m here.” Called a familiar voice in response. I smiled.  
“Okay, first port of call. We need new words for the entrance because I feel like a right idiot saying anti Rosewood HQ, I won’t lie to you.” Selene said bluntly, but she smiled and waved hello to Aria.  
“Can we have something cool? In a dead language? Or just another language? Does anyone speak German or something?” Aria asked, sitting on another chair I hadn’t even noticed.  
“Okay first of all? Why German? Its not a dead language and its not cool. And second of all, the only words I know in German are good morning and lesbian.” Selene replied, leaning back in her chair and putting her feet up on the table in front of her. “I vote Latin. I speak it relatively well.”  
“When the hell did you learn the word lesbian in German?” Aria said, seemingly choking on the air. “And when did you learn Latin?” I had to admit my heart had leapt slightly when she’d said it. I could think of two reasons she would bother to learn it. One I liked a lot, the other I wasn’t so fond of.  
“Well.” Selene smirked at the incredulous looks on their faces and the hopeful one on mine. “Latin’s a freaking cool language alright? And I want to scream my sexuality at homophobes in a language they can’t understand. A German dictionary is the only one I could find.” Then it was my turn to choke, of all the ways to come out…  
“I thought you had a boyfriend?” Natalia said awkwardly, but Aria was grinning.  
Selene shrugged offhandedly. “Ruse. He was nice, and I think I convinced myself I liked him. But oh well.” Natalia was still blinking furiously.  
“Oh stop looking like that.” Aria snapped at her, I was still to shocked to move. Of all the people in this school who I met first, I couldn’t have possibly been this lucky.  
“And stop looking like that too Clarke. I don’t really keep it a secret.” Selene scowled. Oh, oh. I’d never imagined a world where—  
“I’m sorry I’ve just never met anyone who—” Natalia began. Selene snorted and finished for her.  
“Isn’t straight? Sure you have, they just haven’t told you. No wonder, given how you reacted. I don’t suddenly have a crush on you y’know. It’s a very muggle attitude to have.”  
“Yeah it is.” I snapped suddenly finding my voice. I didn’t think I suddenly wanted to announce that I too was gay to a room full of people I didn’t know that well, when I hadn’t even told my own sister.  
“Does it feel awkward, ebbing the only one?” Natalia asked hesitantly. This time Aria snorted.  
“She’s not the only one dumbass. I’m bi, for your information.”  
“Oh fuck.” I said out loud not really comprehending the words. Now I felt under a lot of pressure. A little voice in the back of my head was screaming at me to say something.  
“What?” I didn’t even realised who said it.  
“How does it feel for you to be the only straight one?” I turned to Nat, it was the easiest way I could think to say it.  
“Ha!” Aria clapped her hands together in glee. Selene too was grinning.  
“This is brilliant.” She agreed.  
Natalia swore. “Okay now I feel ganged up on.”  
“Oh no.” Selene made a pouty face. “is it too much for you.”  
“Oh no!” She exclaimed. “Not at all. I just wasn’t expecting it. It’s totally cool though. And I don’t think you have a crush on me. I’m not that self-absorbed.” She made a sour face in Selene’s direction.  
“Eh.” Selene shrugged it off. “Anyway. I don’t want to make a big deal out of this so, Latin. What phrase do you want?”  
“Enter if you dare.” Aria said instantly.  
“Really?” Nat raised an eyebrow, I found it hard to ease back into the conversation after that. So I just smiled awkwardly. None of them had any idea they were the first people I’d told. NO idea that it was a big deal for me. it wasn’t that in the wizarding world people were prejudiced. It was merely that in the pureblood families you were expected to produce heirs… which was a disgusting concept regardless, but made it harder for me.  
“Yeah.” Aria replied, slightly defensive. “What’s your great suggestion?” Nat shrugged, defeated, but Selene was smiling. She swung her legs off the table and jumped to her feet.  
“Can was do something coo? Like reveal on my command?” Selene asked.  
“Can it be something else dramatic?” I implored, and Selene rolled her eyes. “Fine, can it be like – tear down or something.”  
“That’s Revello? You all cool with that?” Selene translated, and was met by a series of nods.  
I then relayed my story of rosewood’s detention, which was severely disappointing to all of them.  
“You don’t think that Lestrange is her student helper.” Selene mused, “I mean if she gave you—”  
“No!” I said sharply, annoyed that she would have submitted to think so low of one of my friends. How well do you really know her? my own voice echoed in my mind. Well enough. I closed it, and turned to the others. “Have any of you got any sensible suggestions on where to go next?”  
“We could just keep tabs on her? if anyone thinks they see her going anywhere unusual we follow excreta?” Aria obliged. Finally we were getting somewhere.

***

The next day, I descended into the common room to find Rory and Holly glaring at each other. It wasn’t usual I supposed, but Carter, Reg, Jules, Morgan and Maya were all gathered around. That meant something about it was unusual. I walked over, frowning at the scene, I could hear Rory snapping something angrily, but I couldn’t quite tell what, my ear filled with the sound of early morning bustle.  
“She’s not property.” Rory was saying with distaste as a reached the edge of the circle. “How hard is it for you to treat other people like human beings?” her hands were clenched in fists at her side and her hair had turned a vibrant red, seemingly involuntary.  
“Who isn’t property?” I said, raising an eyebrow, the circle parted and the silence that followed was answer enough. I swore. “Really?”  
“You can’t be friends with both of us.” Holly said shortly, pausing her death stare at Rory to look at me. “It’s me or her.”  
“Why?” I said, shaking my head softly. Why did she have to be so childish? I felt slightly annoyed, but more sad, because I knew Holly wouldn’t let it go no matter what I said. I also knew who I would choose.  
“Because she’s insufferable—why do you even need a reason?” She snapped exasperated.  
“Because then I would know if it was worth staying. Now I know its not. Come on Rory, I believe waffles and other assorted breakfast items await.” I held out my arm, and the most genuine smile I had every seen her sport appeared on her face. She took it, and with a last withering look at Holly over her shoulder walked away with me. The small crowd behind us dispersed. And Rory’s hair softened to a pink colour.  
“Thank you.” She said softly as we exited the common room though the portrait hole. “For choosing me I mean. I don’t think anyone else would have. Well maybe Maya – but I don’t really want to talk about her.” she sounded abashed and almost – sad? It was very out of character for Rory. She seemed vulnerable, just for a moment.  
“Of course. Holly, she’s not worth it.” I replied, not really sure how to react. I would always choose Rory. Something pulled me towards her in a way I couldn’t understand. Ever since I’d first met her it had just been there.  
“Impertimedia.” A cry from behind us echoed as we reached the top of the dungeon stairs. I spun around, lifting my wand to block it, but Rory already had done. Her speed incredible. I stumbled back to find Potter and Black leering at us from the shadows. I cursed under my breath.  
“What do you want?” I snapped, dropping my head to side in a certain exhaustion.  
“We know you have it?” Potter hissed, he’d walked forwards now, his wand was out and pointed threateningly at me. In truth, I was scared. I did not let him see that.  
“Look I don’t know anything about whatever this thing is you’ve lost.” I growled, my temper was a little on edge and a part of me seemed to forget that the offending object was currently residing in the bag I held.  
“You might have wanted to deny it in front of all those people—” black began, but I held up a hand, which surprisingly he stopped at.  
“Did you –wait for me here?” I said, the realisation hitting me with a certain force. The force seemed to spark anger. “Oh bloody hell you did.”  
“Look, we just want the you-know-what back. We promise not to curse you if you just hand it over.” Potter looked almost imploring.  
“You say that like you’re in power?” Rory scoffed at him before I could react. “Just because your ego is off limits. ‘I’m James Potter. Don’t mess with me. Hahaha. I know all the best spells. Stay away you slimy Slytherin. I’m the best because I’m brawny and my head is full of air. Have I mentioned I’m excellent at quidditch. No. Well I am! I’m absolutely amazing… You just steal your spells of your tormented potter. You’re just a jumped up piece of shi—” The curse was flying before I could react, and nor it seemed, could Rory. She was launched back into the wall, something cracked, and someone screamed. It took me a moment to realise it was me. Blood was streaming across the floor. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. Just that was Rory’s her eyes had fallen shut and she lay still. God if she was dead… the marauders were cruel… but I’d never expected something like this from them.  
Pandemonium reigned. Someone was shouting at Potter. I dared to glance away from Rory. He looked terrified. He clearly hadn’t meant to do it, but in the moment I didn’t care. I was just flooded in anger. I wanted him to suffer. I’d never forgive him if she died. Nothing anyone could say could make up for that. My heart beat furiously in my chest and I looked back at Rory. Her arm, I noticed, was jerk out of place at an angle it never should have been able to reach. I winced despite myself. Oh hell.  
“I’m so sorry.” A voice behind me voiced. It was broken and cracking. Potter.  
“Don’t speak to me.” I said quietly, holding onto Rory’s hand as tightly as I could, my hand reaching for a pulse desperately.  
“I’m so sorry.” He said again hopelessly.  
“James.” A softer voice behind him sounded. “We need to get a teacher.”  
“Clarke.” He ventured again, ignoring the other voice. “I didn’t mean to.” My fingers had found her pulse. A steady throbbing rose beneath them. I wanted to sigh in relief. I wanted to run for a teacher. But I was frozen. I didn’t know if it was shock or anger, but I was rooted to the spot. And it was all his fault. All his stupid fault.  
“Go away.” I hissed, my head spinning towards his, his eyes widened.  
“I—” He began, but Lupin, the owner of the other voice had grabbed his arm.  
“GO AWAY.” I screamed, my voice breaking and going hoarse mid shout. How dare he? Walking around like he owned the place. “Get a teacher. Don’t talk to me.” I shoved him backwards with my blood soaked hand. He scrambled to his feet. “Don’t give me your apologies. Not when they don’t mean anything. Just tell the fucking truth.” Sobs broke out of my throat and I collapsed next to Rory. What had we done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Casually waves bye to homophobes*


	11. From Bad to Worse

Chapter 10   
Selene   
The ear splitting scream that had echoed down the hall had me running before my brain could tell me to stay out of it. My feet hit the floor with loud amplified thuds as I dashed forward. My heart leapt in a particularly unpleasant way when I was saw what the scream had been about. Rory Lestrange lay against the wall, a pool of her own blood surrounding her. Next to her, Clarke was kneeling, she was coated in red and tears streamed down her face. She swatted a hand at potter, who was next to her and he recoiled. I sped up instantly, rushing to reach her, more concerned for Clarke than I was for Rory. Rory Lestrange had never been pleasant.  
I skidded into the wall moments before I reached them, a foot tripping me. I turned around, anger bubbling to the surface as I came face to face with my sister. She was looking down at Rory with something that look scarily like delight.  
“What the hell Holly?” I snarled, my eye narrowing.  
“Rushing off to save two people you hate Selene? They’re not really your kind of person are they.” She replied tersely, and it hit me that I wasn’t publicly friends with Clarke.  
“She’s sat in a pool of her own blood Christ above Holly, I don’t need to be friends to be concerned. Do you want her to die?” I covered quickly, more concerned about keeping my cover than what Holly was actually saying.  
“That wouldn’t be too bad!” Holly snapped viciously, before covering her mouth with a hand. “I didn’t—” She broke off.  
“I can’t deal with you right now,” I yelled back, my angry truly overflowing at this point. “just go away Holly. No one wants you to be anywhere near them.” I was enveloped in wrath and the possibility that she could have been the one who hurt Rory was too possible for me to easily dismiss it as I wanted too.  
“I hate you.” She hissed back, and raised her wand at me. I shook my head and kept walking, hoping she’d at least have the honour to not curse me from behind.  
It took me mere moments to reach Clarke. I’d felt nothing, so I felt it was safe to assume Holly had walked away. Tentatively, I placed a hand on Clarke’s as I knelt next to her and Rory. A small smile reached her face, and shifted her hand so we were holding each other’s. I looked across to her, offering a weak smile. I didn’t know what to say. Who did it? No that was too impersonal. Are you Okay? To typical and cold. I just looked into her eyes, I’m sorry written all over my face. I knew it wasn’t my fault, but for some reason I felt guilty. Maybe because you care about Clarke and not her friend who is actually bleeding out all over the floor right next to you.  
Rory looked worse up close. Her eyes were flickering, she was alive, but the blood stains were more obvious. The colour was too dark, because of the sheer amount of it. Her hair had turned a vibrant red and I noticed as her eyes flashed, they were a cold blue. Rory was alive now, but unless she got a healer, she was going to die. Some horrible cruel voice in the back of my head was urging me to let it happen. It wouldn’t really be my fault. But the thought horrified me. I wasn’t like that! Its not even like Rory is someone who I really hate. I mean its just annoying that Clarke’s friends with her and she’s a bit rude. No, very rude. And Clarke might be a bit more than friends…. And oh merlin. I’m jealous. I clenched my free fist, angry at myself.   
“Miss Fawley!” A voice from behind me called, ending on a shrill note. I jerked, the incident had made me on edge. “Miss Rosier!” The same voice continued. “Step away from Miss Lestrange.” I looked up at the voice’s owner. McGonagall stood above me, madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore behind her. Another ten strides behind them stood Rosewood, her catlike eyes narrowed sharply. I shuddered involuntary and tore my eyes away.  
“Clarke.” I muttered under my breath, shaking my friends arm. “We’ve got to go. They’ll look after her now.” Clarke was still for a moment, her hand still tightly clasped around Rory’s. Then she shook her head slowly, and I couldn’t help but worry she would refuse, but she let go and used the floor to pull herself to standing. I too clambered too my feet, my robes covered in blood. As Clarke and I walked away, the teachers rushed to Rory’s side.  
“I want to get out of here.” Clarke said slowly, throwing a cautionary glance behind her. a strange form of adrenaline seemed to be pulsing though me. I nodded, not wanted to check the scene we were leaving behind was we walked. I’d expected Clarke to want to see Rory or go back to her dorm, but she was walking in the direction of the great hall.   
“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. A thousand voices were pounding in my head, asking me what I thought, but the truth was I didn’t know what to think. Everything was messy now. All I could think about was that Holly could have done it. The fact was eating away at me, I couldn’t forgive her, not again.  
“Hufflepuff dorm room.” Clarke replied shortly, her walking pace seemed to increase the further we went, and she sharply diverted down a smaller corridor just before the great hall. It was most likely where the common room was. I frowned at her.  
“First of all.” I began, running to catch her as she swung her bag off her shoulder. “How will we get in; then how will we remain undetected?”  
Clarke unbuckled her bag as she walked and reached a hand inside. She produced a silvery cloak, and I realised she’d kept or re-stolen Potter’s invisibility cloak. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face.  
“Ah.” I acknowledged, and edged closer to her as she threw it over us. It easily covered both of us, it wasn’t as though we were exactly tall.  
Moments later, we approached a set of barrels outside a door. I frowned, wasn’t it just a password? Before Aria I hadn’t really had any Hufflepuff friends. I’d ‘dated’ a Hufflepuff guy for a few months, but we’d never properly talked about anything worthwhile. Clarke seemed to know exactly what to do, which seemed very unfair, as she had only been here four weeks, and I had been here five years. She reached her hand out of the invisibility cloak and tapped the second barrel from the bottom. The small brown door ahead of us sprung open and we clumsily staggered into the passage way ahead. It was seemingly made of earth, and not at all what I had expected. I supposed it was appropriate, with the house symbol being a badger.  
“Hang on, hang on.” I said, going to hold up a hand but quickly realising that was impossible under the cloak. “Won’t the Hufflepuffs notice when we go in under cloak?” My sudden panic at how unthought out this plan had caused me to forget Clarke had just seen her friend almost die and that we were both still covered in Rory Lestrange’s blood.  
“I didn’t think of that.” Clarke admitted, looking down. We’d reached the end of the passage now. “Maybe they’ll think it’s a ghost.” She shrugged and pushed open the next door. The common room was deserted. My eye scanned the circular shape of it and found barely fifteen people. All the furniture was yellow, which wasn’t something to my taste, but it seemed to be done sophisticatedly. None of them so much as looked up. Finally, as Clarke started dragging me along again, my eye fell to Aria, stood by the bottom of the girls staircase. Her head was bowed and buried in a book. I wasn’t sure how Clarke planned on signalling her, until we shoulder barged into her. I jerked my head at her, before realising she couldn’t see me. Luckily, Aria seemed to have the right idea. She lowered her book, and narrowed her eyes both sceptically and in annoyance. Nevertheless, she followed us up the stair, which was a difficult climb with us both in the cloak. When we reached the top, clearly out of sight from the common room, Clarke pulled the cloak off us. I flinched, surprised.  
“Oh thank God its you!” Aria exclaimed. “I was worried you were some ghost sent my Rosewood to threaten me.  
“Why was that your first thought?” I snorted, shaking my head. Even Clarke offered a weak smile.  
Aria shrugged. “Dunno. Dorm’s this way. Why are you here?”  
I bit back my sarcastic reply to allow Clarke to speak.  
“Rory just attacked, and I didn’t know where else to go.” Clarke paused as Aria opened her mouth and then closed it again. “Don’t say the hospital wing or my own dorm. Don’t you think they weren’t the first places I thought of. I’ll explain when we’re in the tunnels.”  
It was a fair explanation for both Aria and I, and we headed to Aria’s dorm in silence. I barely managed to take in my surrounding before Aria was rushing us out of it again and into the dimly lit tunnels. It only took a few minutes for us to reach the sanctuary in the middle. The three of us collapsed on the sofa, Clarke in the middle. Silence reigned for a few moments.  
Clarke sighed. “I suppose I’ll explain then.” I nodded in sync with Aria in an attempt to urge her on. “So I came down this morning to Holly and Rory arguing about me.” She paused and sighed again, and I blinked through my shock.  
“You – you what?”  
“Yeah, I was surprised too, its not like I’m that important.” She shrugged, and I frowned. That hadn’t been how I’d meant it. “Anyway Holly said that I had to choose her or Rory—”  
“Oh please say you didn’t pick Holly.” I groaned, interrupting her. She glared at me and I fell silent.  
“No, I didn’t.” She scowled in reply. “I picked Rory, and we left, and on the stairs, we bumped into the marauders—”  
“So it wasn’t Holly who cursed her?” I blurted again before I could stop myself.  
“No, it wasn’t. Maybe you’d actually find this out if you stopped interrupting me.” She raised an eyebrow, but I noticed a small smile creeping onto her face. “Anyway, James said something, and she went on a rant at him – Rory I mean -- and he shot a spell at her, I don’t think he meant to hurt her. But I was just so angry and there was so much blood…” She broke off, any trace of a smile that might have been there was gone now. Her expression was sombre and sad, I couldn’t blame her. “So I just wanted to get away from people. If I go to the common room there will be questions, if I go to hospital wing people will surround me because I was there when it happened. You’re the only people I trust enough, to not hound me. Aside from Rory I suppose. But its not exactly like I can talk to her.” She let out a strange sound which was somewhere between a sob and laugh.  
“Oh hell Clarke, I’m sorry.” I sighed, not sure what else to say.  
“Do you want to go to lesson, see Rory, or just hide?” Aria asked, and I supposed that was the other option.  
“I want to see Rory,” Clarke replied slowly, clasping her hand together.  
“Now?”  
“Soon,” She took a breath. “When it’s all died down.”  
“What do you think they’ll do to the marauders?” I mused in a feeble attempt to change the subject.  
“Probably nothing, with this schools twisted rule system.” Aria snorted, tossing her hair over her shoulder.  
“Well it was just James really…” Clarke began, I could tell she was still talking, but her voice drowned out in my ears. Buzzing filled them.  
“Ugh.” I groaned, throwing my neck to one side. A throbbing ache had begun to resound in my forehead, the pain was growing by the second. Of late headaches hadn’t been unusual for me, but they never came on this bad so quickly. Plus for the last week hey had seemed to die down. The ache intensified, and I bit down hard on my lip, willing it in vain to end. My hands flew to my head, for all the help it would give.  
“Selene?” Aria’s voice called dimly over the buzzing. “SELENE?” Louder this time, but still overpowered.  
“Oh merlin.” I muttered, and began to lay back, I could only hope that something would stop the pain. I could feel someone shaking my arm, and a sense of confusion ran through me. What was happening to me? I felt my heart jump unnaturally in my chest, and my consciousness left me.


	12. 11. What Lies Unseeen

Chapter 11   
Aria’s PoV  
I watched Clarke flinch as Selene fell backwards onto the sofa. Her shoulders gave an unnatural twitch, and the she fell still.  
“Oh Gods.” Clarke muttered, suddenly leaning forwards and shaking Selene’s arms. “Not you too. Selene. Selene, wake up. SELENE!”  
Clarke’s shaking got more vigorously and something inside me seemed to sink. Her lying there, it was so surreal, she had to be fine. Because I couldn’t imagine a world with her gone. I looked away, Shaking wouldn’t make her wake up. I let out a small wobbling sigh that seemed to rob my of all my breath, and from behind me sounded a splutter. I dared myself to hope, and forced myself to look back at Clarke and Selene.  
“What happened?” Selene was sat up and clutching her head. I frowned, it almost felt liked I’m imagined the whole thing.  
“I don’t—I don’t know?” Clarke stuttered, her eyes were still wide with fear and I could not blame her. After the horror of whatever had happened to Rory, it was no wonder she couldn’t deal with Selene being hurt too. I couldn’t exactly say how bad it had been of course, but the amount of blood both Clarke and Selene were coated with told me something terrible had happened.  
“Me neither.” Said Selene earnestly. “My head just started pounding, and then it all went black. I, I think I might have a problem.”  
Clarke, seemingly recovered from her initial shock, raised a questioning eyebrow.  
“Well, I’ve been getting this headaches for the past few weeks, since we came back to school. They’ve never been that bad, or made me pass out. I just figured it was a migraine or something like that. They’d actually been getting better recently, but I guess not now.”  
I blinked in reply, which felt rather pathetic, but I wasn’t sure what was an appropriate response.  
“Why didn’t you go to the hospital wing?” Clarke demanded, looking slightly angry. The feeling hadn’t crossed me to be honest. I just felt concerned. I didn’t need people around me disappearing, and Selene didn’t deserve it.  
“I guess…” She trailed off and looked away abashed. “I just wanted to fix it by myself. I thought it would go away – I sort of thought I might be imagining it, and I didn’t want to seem like some whiny first year.”  
“I will never understand this pride thing.” I exclaimed, now annoyance was there. “You need help, take it!”  
“Yeah, it’s stupid I know.” Selene shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to get help now.”  
“Yes you will.” Clarke announced boldly, but then frowned. “I get it though, I probably would have done the same thing.”  
“Honestly.” I rolled my eyes. It infuriated me when people refused to accept help when it was right in front of them. Pride didn’t get you anywhere in life.  
Selene glared at me for a second but then gave an uneasy laugh.  
“I think, I’m going to head back now. Sneak in to see how Rory’s doing, if that’s alright. Selene you should probably go to the hospital wing too and explain what happened.” Clarke said slowly, getting to her feet. I nodded in unison with Selene.  
“Sure.” I said, and jumped up. “I should get to class too.”  
And with that, the group of us disbanded, leaving a heavy and cold feeling in the air.

***

The next few days passed slowly. Rory was going to recover, Clarke had told me last night, when the four of us had met. Natalia had missed the whole incident. She seemed a little annoyed about it, but didn’t show that in front of Clarke. Selene had gone to the hospital wing, after much persuasion from all three of us. She’d been told it was just a bad headache, and would probably pass, but if it got worse to come back.  
“I can’t believe the marauders got off with a warning!” Clarke was pacing angrily along the corridor outside the kitchens. Selene had quidditch practice, and we couldn’t reach Natalia, so it just left the two of us. It had been Clarke’s idea to go the kitchen’s, she’d been hungry, despite the fact it was one o’clock in the morning. Her hands were balled into fists, and her eyes were trained on the pear which could grant you entry to the kitchens.  
“Its not fair.” I sighed, it was all she’d been able to talk about, and honestly, I didn’t blame her. I was angry too, despite not knowing Rory Lestrange myself. “and its defiantly due to Dumbledore’s bias toward Gryffindor. And his hared for Slytherin.” I added as an afterthought.  
“You’re telling me.” Clarke gritted her teeth and finally stopped pacing. “Sometimes I just hate this stupid school, but then really, I think about it in contrast to Beauxbatons, and I love it.”  
“Was it really that bad?” I asked before I could stop myself. I knew it was a stupid question.  
“Yes.” Clarke said somewhat impatiently, rapping her fingers on the wall. “It really was that bad. I’m glad I left. I’m glad I could come here, which I know is bad, but I’m sort of glad Jules got expelled.” She sighed, and I felt curiosity build inside me.  
“I mean, you don’t have to—” I began, daring myself to ask.  
“No, I should probably tell someone.” Clarke cut me off. “Really its Jules’ secret to tell but, well, it’s also mine.”  
“Oh okay.” It was the only response I could think of.  
“There was a girl. She—well she just got really angry at Jules. I think Jules was talking about some spell she could do to me or something. I can’t remember. It was on the last day of the year – and – and this girl just turns around and starts shouting at Jules, about how she’s a dark witch and that we were both going to hell because we supported Voldemort” Clarke gave nervous laugh and I tense. “Its quite funny really, because I’m an atheist. I mean we didn’t support him, but Jules has a bit more of a blurry line on her morals. I blame my parents. Anyway, the girl was just jealous, she’d hated Jules and I for as long as I can remember, she didn’t like that we were more talented than her. So She kept taunting us, and at that point noise had just filled me ear. I don’t remember what she said.”  
Clarke took a breath, and locked her eyes on to mine, a sad smile glinting on her face. “Jules scream at her, and the girl cursed her. this big gashed opened up on her stomach, and there was all this blood. So Jules just pointed her wand at her, it was a mad despairing sort of act. But the girl was thrown in the air, and she—she fell. A-and well, that was it. She died. Jules was beside herself, and she just started crying. But no one cared about her, or how remorseful she was. They accepted it was an accident and Jules just got expelled, but I think she was lucky to escape Azkaban. They had it out for her from the minute she entered the court room, the Rosier’s, we aren’t really respectable to the ministry. So we moved to England, and you know the rest.”  
There was a silence for a moment. That incomplete kind - where the noise is on the verge of emerging, but still not quite there. A cruel quiet of eternal anticipation. Words flew though my head, yet none could form on my tongue. I wasn’t horrified, or pitying. I wasn’t really sure how I felt. So instead I said what I thought.  
“It wasn’t your fault, and if people hold that against either of you, they’re just cruel and pedantic.” I said firmly, my voice cracking though the air.  
Clarke nodded slowly. “That’s what I tell myself, and Jules. But I can never believe it, and I don’t think she can either.” She let out a humourless laugh. “What’s worse is our parents were proud.” She spat the word, like it was burning her tongue. “they were pleased that they’re daughter had become a murderer, they were angry that it wasn’t me. Probably because I was older, what’s the age you have to kill someone in my family.” A grim smile was a stretched tight across her face. I didn’t know what to say, or what to think. I didn’t know anything about Clarke’s family, other than the Rosier’s were being watched. They were death eaters no doubt, Clarke didn’t have to say it. The fact hat – I couldn’t bare to think o something like that. There might not have been an adult how cared about me, but at least there wasn’t one who hated me.  
“That – that’s sick. I’m sorry Clarke, that really sucks.”  
“Yeah, I know. But I’ve only got two more years of it, and then I’m done.” She shrugged idly, and looked away.  
“Well, since you’ve told me that I feel like I should tell you something.” I said slowly. After what she’d just said, it didn’t feel like a big deal to tell her I lived in an orphanage. I’d never even told Layla and Julian. When I thought about why, I found I didn’t know. I supposed it was that I was embarrassed, no one wanted me, and I was fifteen now, it was likely no one ever would.  
“You don’t have to.” Clarke shook her head. “I respect peoples secrets.”  
“I know.” I smiled. “But I need to tell someone, I think.” I took a deep breath, and just let it out. “I don’t know who my parents are.” I was the best way a could think to say it. The air went stagnant again, not cold, but utterly motionless. Clarke blinked at me.  
“I – I never knew.” Was all she said, which was affair enough. I felt like I’d lifted a weight from my shoulders and replaced it with a new one. What if she told someone? Everyone would think I was a dreadful liar, which I was really. “I’m glad you told me. I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me,”  
“I’ve never told anyone else. I didn’t, I didn’t want to seem worthless or unwanted or pathetic. People judge you, I’ve seen their faces when they watch me going into the orphanage. They’re disgusted by you or pity you. I hate them, but I hate it more.”  
“Thank you, I’m honoured to be the first person to know, and I’m impressed you’ve hidden it so well. I don’t know why I trust you Aria, I’ve never really trusted anyone like this, and I’ve barely known you anytime at all. I just think you should know.”  
“Well.” I looked for the right words, a nice lie. But I realised I didn’t have to lie, because I trusted her too. More than I could convey. I didn’t understand why, but I did. She understands you, and you understand her. the voice in the back of my head chimed, and I couldn’t help but feel it was right. “I trust you too Clarke. I’ve never trusted anyone at all.”   
“Huh, yeah, thank you.” She frowned, and I noticed that tears were sparkling in her eyes. “I’m not going to cry don’t worry.” She laughed with an uneasy smile, and wafted her face with her hand.  
“It’s okay – if you do, I mean.” I said hurriedly, not wanting to make her feel awkward. Part of me was nagging myself to tell her the whole truth. But what exactly would I say. Oh by the way I stole a file and my mother was a Muggleborn witch, so it turns out I’m not just some orphaned Mudblood anymore. I think not.  
“Stop.” Clarke said quietly. “Listen.” Sure enough, footsteps were resounding. I swore under my breath.  
“In there,” I hissed desperately, opening the kitchens and shoving Clarke in before me. I dared a glance behind me, and I regretted it instantly. Whoever the shadow was coming down the corridor belonged to, they had seen me now. “Sorry.” I muttered to Clarke and shut the door behind her. There was no use in us both getting caught. I could survive another detention.  
“Miss Halliday,” The cold voice that cut through the air was instantly recognisable. I flinched, it just had to be her didn’t it. Maybe I should have run into the kitchens with Clarke. “I can’t say I’m surprised to see you here.”  
Rosewood came into the light of a near by lantern, and looked down at me disapproving. It was interesting that she was fully dressed in robes, as though it was not the middle of the night. I was glad that the marauders map was in Clarke’s pocket and not mine. Oh why hadn’t we just been looking at it. Stupid feelings.  
I didn’t say anything in reply. I couldn’t think what to say. I just stared at her in a defiant silence.  
“Nothing to say for yourself.”  
“I’m not quite sure what you want to hear.” I retorted before I could stop myself.  
“Why you think you entitled to roam the corridors at—” She consulted her watch “— three o’clock in the morning?”  
“Personally, I think that it’s a stupid rule, that everyone breaks anyway. You should be free to walk about whenever you like. Some people have difficulty sleeping y’know. If it was up to me, I’d abolish the rule.”  
“Well, unfortunately for you Miss Halliday, it is not, nor ever will be, up to you.” She said icily, taking a step closer.  
“How can you be so sure I will never run the school?” I challenged, regretting it instantly.  
“I don’t think anyone so careless will even make it the appropriate age to run this school.” Was her only reply. Oh god, if I hadn’t suspected her of something before, I certainly would now.  
“Is that a threat?” I said, appalled.  
“It is whatever you choose to take it as.” She replied tonelessly, but she was smiling. Sadistic sick bitch, I thought angrily.  
“I don’t want to be here anymore. Get lost.” I spat, and turned on my heel, but almost instantly a felt a force tugging m y backward. Struggling was futile, and I found myself gasping for breath.  
“Don’t test me Halliday.” Rosewood snarled, her smirk gone now. “This is not a game, and you’re treading in dangerous territory.” I clenched my fists at my sides, and forced myself to look into her eyes. I was not going to be afraid. Not anymore.  
“What are you going to do?”  
“I think you can have detention every night this week, it ought to prevent you from going out, if nothing else.” She replied, raising an eyebrow. I felt anger flood though me. How –  
“A week?” I repeated, incredulous.  
“Make it too, to be safe. My office, eight o’clock sharp. Starting tomorrow. I’ll see you.” A moment later she had disappeared into the darkness. Her footsteps died down, and I spun around to tell Clarke. This was going to be a long year.

***

“We’re going to slaughter them.” Julian grinned, the next morning at breakfast. He was referencing the match with Gryffindor later that week, and he seemed very confident about it.  
“Sure you will.” Layla smiled supportively.  
“We’re bound to, the team the best its ever been, even with Potter, he doesn’t have anything on our chasers.”  
“Is that some self-complimenting I hear?” I raised an eyebrow, and Julian snorted. “Anyway, I’ll be watching and cheering you on, and that’s all the luck you need to win though the whole season.”  
“Now look who’s self-complimenting.” Layla replied, and I smiled. It was nice to have some to take my mind of Rosewood.  
“So sure about your win Julian?” A sneering voice came from behind me. It was, of course, none other than James Potter himself. He sauntered up to our table, his rabble close behind.  
“Oh shut up Potter, did you really just come here to gloat when you haven’t even won yet?” Layla scowled at him, she had no patience where the marauders were concerned.  
“Just making sure you know you’ll lose. Being nice won’t win you the match.”  
“Like you’d know anything about being nice. What you’ve done.” I shook my head angrily, thinking of Rory. The nerve!  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Suddenly his voice was tense.  
“Maybe your admirers don’t know exactly what happened with Rory Lestrange Potter, but I do, so keep your mouth shut around me, or I’ll tell them all.”  
“You wouldn’t.” His voice was not disbelieving, merely dismissive.  
“You have no idea what I’m capable of, you don’t know me at all.” I’d never said anything more true.


	13. 12. Fear resides in the truth

Chapter 12  
Natalia’s PoV  
The silence in the corridor was broke by a kind and familiar voice. Ahead of me light bloomed. I’d been spending far too much time sneaking around in the dark recently, especially dark tunnels. However this was merely a dark corridor, and for once my sneaking had nothing to do with Rosewood, but my sister. She’d been sneaking out almost every night recently, and I had been building up more tolerance to lack of sleep. So when she had departed the corridor at half eleven that night, I had followed. That was the wonder of not have any real friends in your own house, and no joining any club, (With the exception of the slug club of course, I’ve been to two of those dinners) you are able to disappear, and no one notices.  
Now, what I had to master was no being noticed. I was expecting to have to hide when sneaking about for Rosewood related things, because that was especially secret, and we were actually trying to do someone harm – when I thought about it. But for finding out where my sister disappears to at night, it felt like she should be the one with the secrets, and I should be the one finding them. But instead, I was sneaking behind the headmaster and Rosewood, of all the people, and I’d completely lost track of Izzy. Honestly, I hated the double standards of school. Teachers get to roam around at all hours, and we can’t. I don’t see anyone giving them detention.  
Rosewood and Dumbledore were making friendly conversation, but I couldn’t help but feel I should follow them. Rosewood could say something incriminating. I mean it was unlikely in the presence of Dumbledore, but there was a chance. Plus, I’d lost Izzy. Part of me did want to just try again tomorrow, but I’d probably be tired tomorrow, and the opportunity was there. What would Clarke do? Aria? Selene? They wouldn’t even question it. And so I stayed back, trying to hide away, and listened to what they were saying.  
The conversation remains boring for several more minutes, and a large part of me was considering leaving. It was simply a load of rubbish about how is your student doing and don’t you think so and so is progressing fast and when is Slughorn’s next party on, the ones where the teachers are invited and so on.  
“Yes, have you noticed anything about Isabella Wintre?” Rosewood asked, and I flinched, jumping backwards, and clapping a hand over my mouth to keep from crying out. I’d narrowly missed falling through a door and totally giving myself away. I couldn’t help but wish I’d asked Clarke to lend me the cloak, invisibility would be really handy right now. I scowled and tried to listen harder, tiptoeing forwards.  
“I heard that she was particularly gifted, I’ve even heard rumours of wandless magic.” It was rosewoods voice again, I’d missed Dumbledore’s reply. I resisted the urge to groan and shifted my feet forwards. It wouldn’t be good for Izzy to get on the teachers radar. Because after that came the ministry, and the ministry was bad.  
“She’s certainly gifted.” Dumbledore mused in reply. I silently willed him to say something useful or that would provoke Rosewood.  
“Do you think its inherited? Or something else?” Rosewood prodded, it was clear she was trying to get him to tell her something, or maybe it wasn’t. I was probably just super suspicious. Dumbledore was a trusting person, oh if only he wasn’t. I might not have shared the others hate for him, but I wasn’t a fan.  
“It certainly could be inherited.” He began, and I frowned. My family wasn’t gifted by any stretch of the imagination.  
“I wasn’t aware the family was particularly gifted.” Rosewood voiced my exact thoughts. Though in the dimly lit corridor, I could only see her from behind, I could imagine her frown.  
“The one who raised her is not, but I myself have always had questions about Isabella’s heritage. The ministry have records of course, actually I believe they could still be at Hogwarts. But she certainly shows more resemblance to another student I once taught, in fact the whole family of them.”  
My heart had stopped dead in my chest, and I’d stopped listening. Izzy was my sister. She couldn’t be adopted or whatever they were instigating. It was impossible. It simply had to be. How dare they suggest that? She was a Wintre. She was one of us. Oh gods above. He was lying. Trying to deter Rosewood. This wasn’t real.  
I furiously bit my lip and spun on my heel. Moving away from them down the corridor at a furiously fast paced walk. This wasn’t even possible. I was older than her, I’d know if she wasn’t my sister. I remember waiting outside the room when she was born. But how well do you remember? A voice in the back of my head argued. Well enough, I’d only been five or so, it wasn’t like memories from that age particularly resonated with you at fifteen.  
I wasn’t looking where I was going, I didn’t even know where I was head. I was just walking blindly onwards as quickly as I could. Almost as if I was really running from something, rather than metaphorically. Because I knew what the truth was, but I didn’t want to admit it, I was running from it. Because I wasn’t sure what it would mean, if Izzy found out she wasn’t part of the family. I didn’t know how I felt about it, how I felt about my parents, because they must have known. Someone messed with my memory. I could have been them. And I wanted to be angry at them, but I also wasn’t sure I really knew how. Izzy was a part of our family. That wouldn’t change. It couldn’t. Maybe – maybe she did know. Maybe it had something to do with wherever she was going. Oh dear gods. Stress was mounting up inside me and I was afraid it would become unbearable. I’d slowed now, but it didn’t stop me from colliding with Clarke as she appeared from around the corner.  
I looked up, and realised we were very close to the hospital wing. She must have been visiting Rory, I didn’t really want to talk to her right now, but at the same time, it was all that I wanted to do. Tell a real friend everything that had happened. I’d have to anyway, because it was relevant to Rosewood. She obviously wanted to know about my sister for some reason, I hadn’t even thought of that yet.  
“Oh I’m so sorry!” I apologised.  
“Eh, it’s my fault too.” Clarke shrugged it off smiling, but she frowned as she saw my face. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”  
I explained it all, the words tumbled helplessly out of me, and saying it out load seemed to cement the fact that it was real and make it so much worse at the same time. By the time I had finished tears were mercilessly streaming down my face. The denial had evaporated, and given way to something entirely worse, a sense of accepting the truth. Clarke clearly had no words, but her face was no pitying, which was enough for now.  
“Oh Nat—” She broke off, and her eyes softened. “I’m here, if you ever want to talk about it, you know, that right? This whole Rosewood thing, it’s more than that.”  
I nodded, smiling weakly. But the truth was I had never really considered that. I was so used to people not wanting to be my friends, to it being convenient, that I’d never considered what would happen without Rosewood. It was honestly the best thing she could have said to me in that moment, because it reconsolidated the fact that I was Izzy’s sister, whether we were related by blood or not. I was friends with Clarke regardless if we were trying to expose Rosewood for being dodgy or not. I felt my smile become genuine.  
“Thanks.” I muttered, finally relaxing. Bliss is never destined to last long, but it was remarkably quickly that mine was shattered then. Footsteps echoed loudly down the corridor, and laughter followed.  
“Hide!” Clarke urged, shoving me sideways. I didn’t need telling twice. I wasn’t about to be caught now, after all of this. I grappled for the handle of a store cupboard and forced myself inside, I held it open expectantly for Clarke, but she just shook her head. The gesture was so vicious and suggestive that I did what she said without questioning it. It only took a minute for me to tell why. As I peered through a rather large crack in the door, I spotted the marauders sauntering towards Clarke. Oh hell.  
“Fancy seeing you here,” Clarke drawled at them by way of greeting.  
“Funny how you have a tendency for breaking the rules, I’m sure you’d never extend that to laws.” One of them retorted, and I shuddered. I’d never considered that it might be against the law to take the map from them. Surely it wasn’t –  
“Of course not.” Clarke let out a bitter laugh, “But you would, wouldn’t you.”  
“I’ve told you I had no idea what that curse did—”  
“I don’t care Potter. You almost murdered my friend.” I squinted to see as Clarke’s eyes flashed dangerously, Potter looked almost afraid.  
“I am sorry about what I did to Lestrange. I never wanted to hurt her like that, but it doesn’t change the fact I hate both of you. I don’t want you dead. There’s a difference Rosier.”  
“I don’t think there is anymore. I think you’ve broken that barrier.” She snapped, and I noticed her clench her fists at her side, like she often did when she was angry.  
“No usually this confident Rosier, you’re a thief, don’t be cocky.” Natalia flinched, technically she was the thief.  
“No, I’m not a thief.” She said softly, “Have fun in detention, and she raised an eyebrow at them. James jumped and turned around. that was when I saw him. Filch was fleck in the distance, but he was coming all the same. Clarke grinned and started running, and marauders followed her without question. Enemies unite in the face of rules. Their footsteps drowned away, and Natalia was once again left in the dark.  
***  
I had wasted no time following Clarke. I knew that they’d all have disappeared into the passages by now and I couldn’t be bothered looking for them when there was a chance, I’d run into someone I didn’t want to. Part of me was telling myself to go somewhere quiet and think, but a bigger part didn’t want to think, it wanted to go and see Aria and Selene and talk to them about what to do. Dwelling alone seemed like the idea of a nightmare in that moment, so my first action had been to hurry back up to my dorm, and sneak though the tapestry.  
It had not really occurred to me that Selene and Aria were not just going to be waiting for me, as if they were at my disposal. It was a stupid thought really, arrogant and self-centred. They’d be asleep, and what right had I to wake them and risk exposing the passage. But I couldn’t sit alone right now, so despite my best inclinations, I followed the crooked passage to Selene’s dorm. I knew that she only shared a room with Indiana, so she was the best person to wake. I couldn’t help but hesitate as I raised by fist to knock on the wooden back of the painting that acted as door, this was wrong. But I didn’t care. My thoughts were warped, and I was upset, and I needed someone. I took a deep breath and knocked.  
I regretted it instantly, and my very bones seemed to freeze. My heart leapt furiously and throbbed in my chest. I was alight with fear. How could I be so stupid. If Indiana was to open this door, what on earth was I going to do. In that moment I couldn’t think of running, or the fact she did not know what the door did. Fear paralysed me, fear for myself, for my friends and my sister. Fear of Rosewood and being found out. Fear of what my sister would do when she learnt the truth of who she was. Just a whole and entire fear that haunted me. A fear that was a heart in its self, a being, beating inside of me. Taunting me as I moved, mocking my predicament.  
There were several moment of silence following my knock, or maybe that’s just how I perceived it. I’d almost brought myself to tare my eyes from the catch that would open the door from my side and walk away when I heard a soft word muttered and a clicking mechanism. I stepped back, startled. I barely registered it in the dark as Selene came in. Adding light from her wand to that of mine, she scowled at me.  
“What the hell Nat?”  
“My sister is adopted.” I said, the words escaping me in one breath, I didn’t know what else to say.  
“Oh my—I’m sorry? At least, I think I am? Do yu want to talk about it?” She looked both shocked and confused. The emotions mingling on her and created an expression only she seemed capable of making.  
“Yeah, I would.” She didn’t question further as we wondered through the tunnels. Her tunnel was the shortest distance, so it didn’t take very long. Upon entering the only lit room in the tunnels, the rustic and battered sofa staring at me now a familiar homely comfort, I found there was someone there. Instantly, I felt the fear return—but Selene frowned.  
“Aria?” Her question rung out in the air I noticed Aria glance up, tossing her light brown hair from her face, and smile up at us bitter sweetly.  
“Hello.” Her tone was weary, sarcasm creeping into it.  
“You, you’re here—” I began, I knew that this was her place too. I just hadn’t expected her to be here unprompted and alone.  
“Do we have a problem?” She cut me off.  
“I think Natalia has a story, if we could sit down.” Selene said, her voice was a little cold.  
“Of course,” Aria pushed herself along the sofa and gestured to the now empty side closest to us.  
So I told the story again, for the second time that night. At least we were safe in here, away from the interruptions of the open. Selene’s face went through various stages of horror as I told it, but Aria remained calm, if only looking a little sad.  
“And you’re sure she is actually adopted. He only said she might be?” Aria demanded almost the second I finished the story. Her face had suddenly come alight and her tired and lifeless facial features of mere moments ago had been abandoned.  
“I don’t know,” I said truthfully, shaking my head as if in defeat.  
“I think you should tell her, she has a right to know. She should be able to find out who her real parents are.” Aria said firmly. “If she is adopted. But I hope for her sake she isn’t. because Rosewood is asking about her, which means she’s probably mixed up in something bigger. I can’t believe Dumbledore can’t see through her.” She sighed and threw her head back in annoyance.  
“I suppose.” I said slowly. I hadn’t even thought of Izzy being mixed up in Rosewood’s life.  
“Don’t you think that maybe Nat doesn’t want her to find her parents, because you know. She already has them. And it will complicate her family’s life.” Selene frowned at Aria and I realised she was right.  
“But that’s an incredibly selfish outlook on the situation. It might involve Nat, but it’s Izzy’s life, and she has a right to know who she is. Not having that information in your life is a horrible thing, how could ever wish that on someone. Never mind someone you cared about.”  
I had to force myself not flinch, and an overwhelming sense of guilt overcame me. I hadn’t even thought about it that way – oh god! This was Izzy, she was my sister I was supposed to put her first. I bit my lip angrily. Why did I have to be so annoying and selfish?  
“God you’re right.” Was all I said out loud.  
“You seem to be very passionate about this Aria?” Selene raised a questioning eyebrow. I’d honestly been so wrapped up in my own problems I hadn’t noticed, but now I thought about it she was right.  
“I guess I am.” She shrugged. “I’m just tired. Can we talk about something else? Unless you want to keep talking Nat, sorry I’m being selfish now.”  
“Nah its okay.” I gave a small smile. I supposed being alone with feelings and fear was only natural.


	14. 13. Holly's Secret

Chapter 13  
Clarke’s PoV  
Running though the castle in the dead of night had not been at the top of my to do list earlier tonight. I’d wanted to see Rory, and actually get some sleep. But Rory had woken up, and we’d spent hours talking, and I’d totally lost track of time. It seemed sleep hated me. Life seemed to share its feelings, as it had forced me to run down a corridor in pitch black with the people who’d caused my best friend to nearly die. I felt someone’s hand close around my wrist and anger surged thought me. I would undoubtably risk detention if it was Potter. He had been asking for me to punch him for the last week. I was already on edge because of Rosewood’s detentions. At least if I got detention with someone else, I wouldn’t have to suffer her keeping me back at ridiculously late hours.  
I tried to shake the hand off me, but their grip was firm. I felt myself being dragged though a door.  
“In here.” Hissed a voice that was most certainly not Potter. In fact, I was entirely unsure where Potter and the others had gone. I looked away from the hand on my wrist, which my eyes had been transfixed on, and up at the person it belonged to. It was Remus Lupin; his expression was apologetic and looked almost sad in the dim light.  
“I didn’t mean to—”  
I cut him off. “Its fine.” I shrugged, I knew he had saved me from being caught, which although that might have been preferable, seemed like an honourable thing to do.  
“I’m sorry about James too, I know he was goading you. He shouldn’t – I mean – he feels really bad about Rory, and I’m sorry about her too. James is too, y’know he doesn’t want to say it or anything because I don’t think it really likes you very much—” I couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward as he rambled on. He looked very uncomfortable too. I didn’t hate him, in all fairness, he seemed to be the nicest out of all of them.  
“He thinks I stole something from you?” I raised in eyebrow, trying to not look as unconfident as I felt.  
“Well—yeah.” Remus’ face relaxed a little at that, and I couldn’t help but hope it wasn’t sure a façade because one of us needed to be genuinely comfortable in this situation. “I know you probably didn’t.”  
“I don’t even know what he thinks I stole, or why I would want it, but I suppose he’s got a reason for thinking it was me beyond the fact I’m the dodgy knew girl with possibly criminal parents and a sister who just got expelled?” I questioned, despite the fact my voice was joking I knew it would make him – anyone really—uncomfortable. Making distasteful jokes appeared to be an unhealthy coping mechanism of mine when in awkward situations. “Sorry.”  
“No,” He sighed. “It’s okay, really, it is. I’m just tired.” And he looked it too, I noticed for the first time. Honestly, he always looked tired. But tonight especially. The light danced across the shadows of dark rings under his eyes, and his shoulders seemed to drop just standing there. He looked as tired as I felt.  
“Trouble sleeping?” I asked.  
He nodded slowly. “You could say that.”  
“Same,” I replied honestly. I didn’t like lying. I did far too much of it these days. Secrets were a burden. “I’d hoped to get some tonight, but my hopes of that are dashed now.” I let out a small laugh. It had initially been intended to lighten the mood, but the more I thought about it, I realised I felt genuinely comfortable. Maybe he was different to other—no it was certain he was different. The question should have been, was he capable of being something more? Something told me the answer was no, because the marauders were obviously important to him. They must have meant a lot, for him to stick around.  
“How come you are out here?” He asked, and I thought I could see the traces of a smile tugging at his face.  
“Rory, actually,” I replied as matter of factly as I could. “She woke up, so I spent a while talking to her.”  
“You know I never knew you too were such good friends.” Now he was smiling. I retuned the gesture, leaning back on a desk.  
“Well, we are.” I didn’t tell him the whole truth, it was fairly safe to say I didn’t trust him that easily. I didn’t have the same feeling I did with Aria.  
“Hmm.” He looked away, before taking a few steps towards the now closed door. For a moment I’d completely forgotten we were hiding. He pulled it open a crack, and I jumped at the small noise it made. “I think its clear.” He whispered, clearly more concerned now the door was open.  
“Okay,” I nodded, I did need sleep. “We should go back.”  
“Yeah,” He muttered in agreement, and we slipped out the door one at a time. Leaving the deserted classroom behind. Leaving behind the momentary unity that had been.  
I waited a good few minutes after parting ways on that initial corridor to put on the cloak. I was paranoid that one of the marauders would be watching me or something stupid like that. The feeling had scarcely left me when I returned to the comforting cold air of the dungeons. I pulled the cloak off as I turned down the final passage which the portrait was situated on. I was already thinking up excuses for why I was out here. I knew it was unlikely that a teacher would be passing at the same time as me, but it was nevertheless possible.  
“Password.” The portrait said grumpily, I supposed I had just woken it.  
“Thestral.” I replied smoothly, eager to be let in. It was just as keen to oblige, it seemed, as it swung open with no hesitation and I slipped inside. I was thankful to find the common room deserted, because that would have been incredibly awkward. I didn’t like having to explain myself to other people. Yet they always demanded it of me like I owed it to them. One of the many reasons I often found myself infuriated with others.  
I hurried up the stairs, and turned the door handle to my dorm slowly, hoping not to wake anyone, It would be so much easier if I had my own room. Oh well, I thought, but I was no less irritated. I was in a bad mood, and I wasn’t sure why. They were the worst kind of bad moods.  
The room looked almost peaceful with everyone all asleep. Perhaps to an outsider it would have. But I knew these people, I knew how they thought, the grudges they harboured towards each other. I’d grown to know them far better than I had planned. They – we – were not a happy family by any stretch of the imagination, but there was only three years left here. It would do. Besides, I had Nat, Aria and Selene. And Rory. Of course. She was absent from the scene. Probably still staring at the ceiling in her hospital bed. Relishing in the small freedom of loneliness she’s been gifted. I let out a humourless laugh as I slumped down on my bed. I wasn’t sure why I was laughing. But it seemed so funny for some reason.  
“What?” I was instantly on edge again. At first, I thought the voice might have been my own, and I just wasn’t aware I was talking but it did not take me very long to realise this could not be the case. When I looked around, my eye dancing across the scene before me, I found that next to Rory’s bed, Holly’s bed was also empty. Turning my head a second time, I found Holly Fawley herself. She was stood by the door, her bloodshot eyes glaring at me with a fire many would struggle to muster. Her hair was mattered around her head, she looked ferocious and I couldn’t help but recoil.  
“What?” She hissed vehemently a second time.  
“I didn’t see you,” I spluttered wildly, unconsciously pushing myself away from her. I could only hope she deemed this an acceptable response, because it was truly all that I could think to say.  
She sniffed, and my curiosity began to screech at me inside. She looked like she’d been crying, and naturally I wanted to know why. Which I supposed made me hypocritical, but in that moment I didn’t care. It could concern Selene. It didn’t really matter if I was using that as an excuse or not, it was no less true.  
“Are—are you okay?” I ventured tentatively. She was precarious, an unexploded mine that was about to go off if I took a wrong step. So I had to tread carefully. As much as I wished I didn’t, I knew Holly. This was always the way she was. There was no reason for it have changed in the past week.  
“No,” She snorted, and I flinched. She was so close to waking everyone up. Oh god. Please let her not wake everyone up. Why was it so hard to get any sleep around here? “Not like you’d care.”  
“I do care!” I exclaimed, rather too defensively. “You’re the one who made me pick.” I muttered to myself as an afterthought and I instantly found myself feeling lucky she had not heard.  
“You choose Rory, Clarke. I know why, it makes sense. You deserve someone better than me.”  
For some reason, it didn’t feel like she was asking for pity or trying to regain my friendship. She just seemed earnest, and sad. I didn’t feel bad, necessarily, but I did wish it hadn’t had to be quite a fall for her.  
“I’ve done something you could never forgive,” She blinked, and pulled the sides of her sleeves over her hands. It was really hitting me now how ragged she did look. It was startling. She looked so hopeless, leaning against the door like that. I didn’t want to pity her. Pity didn’t really do you any good, and I hated to pity others. But I just had to. Black smudges were soiled across her face, the remnants of makeup that had been cried away. Curiosity ate away at me, but I didn’t want to push her. Because then I knew I would never find out.   
“I’m so sorry,” She sniffled, and pushed herself off the door frame. “She’s going to hate me forever, and there’s nothing I can do. I’m lost Clarke. If you knew, if you knew everything. You’d never have even spoken to me. Just – stay away, you’ll be safe.” My eyes closed, and my curiosity vanished. Her shuffles echoed in ,y ears. Her tone had contained a note of finality and I was willing to accept that. I was too tired at this point. I didn’t care anymore. Sleep was calling. But as usual, it would not come.

 

Hello friends!  
I've returned and I bring with me short chapters late updates and bad chapter names. You know, the normal. sorry for the lack of updating but I guess it be like that sometimes. Thank you for all your favourites and comment anyway, you're all super patience and I love you. Until next time - R (and this isn't checked, I'm bringing back the bad grammar too :) )


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